//------------------------------//
// Lady Luck 
// Story: Fallout Equestria: Power Ponies 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
//------------------------------//

A ghoul in a suit softly hummed to himself as he cantered through the low lit halls of the well maintained tower. Two muscular and well armed earth ponies in heavy metal armor flanking him leading him to a massive set of double doors. They stepped aside opening the doors for the ghoul stallion, who walked in with a cheerful grin. The room he walked into was well carpeted, and lit. The walls were covered in mosaics of the glories of slavery. There was a little mare collared and chained to a beautifully made pine desk, behind which sat a hard looking stallion in a suit. "Hello, how can I help you?" The ghoul asked never once losing his grin.
"I have a problem, one that requires a unique set of skills, a set of skills that you are well known for, hence why I brought you here. Please take a seat." He gestured to a chair.
"Oh. Somepony is giving the Big 13 problems?" The white ghoul sat down and pulled out a cigar. "That's interesting, very very interesting."
"Not somepony, a whole group." The large earth pony pulled out a match and offered lit the ghoul's cigar. "Before when  it was just one it was amusing, a little colt trying to fulfill his parent's dream. Then he got a couple more. Not as amusing, but still the worthless colt couldn't actually be a nuisance, but now. Now there's three more. They could all actually become a thorn in our side." He leaned back and lit his own cigar.
"Colt? You wouldn't be talking about that little masked pony running around? I suppose I could get him for you. What do I get in return? I'm not a bounty hunter so the bounty doesn't interest me and 8500 caps is far to cheap for a pony of my services. Oh and I get to do it my way, no outside interference."
"Of course you can deal with them however you want just do it soon. As for reward...How's a balefire bomb sound to you." He smirked.
"A balefire bomb? the ghoul asked his face losing its smile, as he shifted to something more neutral. "I could use that sure, but It's not exactly a payment. How about that and I can keep one of the cuter hero wannabees as a slave of my very own, and you get the others?"
"If you can get me the whole lot of them then sure. You can take one with you, but I want you to make them a top priority. The next pony I'm bringing in if you don't have them dealt with by the end of the month is the Bloody Butcheress. And once she's put on the job, then there's really no stopping her. So, if you would please not play around and get them all gathered up, I would be very pleased, Royal Flush."
"Of course of course. I assure you I don't want that fiery maniac anywhere near that cute little pegasus colt anymore than you want her running around the city gutting and eviscerating everything that breaths." Royal Flush nodded. "Now is there anything else that you want me to be aware of, Mr. Subjugation?" Royal Flush asked blowing out a long stream of smoke from his cigar.
"Nothing that I can think of, just get it done in a timely manner or I can't guarantee that you'll get anything."
"It's always the risk that makes the gamble fun. Consider this thorn bush problem of yours taken care off. I'm sure I'll have them all in chains before you by the end of the fortnight." Royal Flush gave a nod before heading out his poker face going back to one of glee. "Balefire, balefire, glowing like hellfire, little colts and filly, Royal Flush is coming for you now, don't bet your soul on a hand that you can't win." He sang to himself as he trotted down the hall.





Ash trotted down the street in her pegasus disguise next to her coltfriend. Their saddlebags were filled to the brim with posters and fliers of the rave that would be taking place at the mansion over the weekend. Dub Step and Disc Jockey would be DJing the event, and Jet Lag had already whipped up nearly a hundred of all the small time drugs for the party. Now all that was needed was to put fliers up all over the place letting ponies know that Fluid was hosting it. They were taking the West side of town, putting up posters on buildings and on pole as they went along. Of course they were also enjoying a bit of window shopping as they went along. "Hey Jet know you don't normally like other ponies touching you but at the party could we have a slow dance?"
"I mean, maybe. I guess we could hold hooves." Jet said not making eye contact. "With a little Dash I'll be a lot more ready. I mean. Sorry, I know I'm not the best coltfriend in the world, but I'm working on my touching problem."
"I know Jet. Air hug!" She wrapped her hooves around him being sure not to touch him. "Now let's just forget about it until the party, and we're both good and set with Dash. If we can get any before Fluid uses it all. He's such a Dash hog."
"That shouldn't be a problem, I made sure to make twice as much Dash as anything else." Ash stifled a giggle.
"Right and I'm sure that Dash being your favorite drug had nothing to do with that decision." She smirked as she pulled out another flier and put it up on one of the old poles.
"It's not, if Fluid wouldn't take like ten Dash, and speaking of." He looked at her. "You hit it hard too." He pulled out a flier from the pile in his bag, that Happy Smile Mail Bear was resting on. "It would take a lot of Dash just to satisfy the two of you." He posted the flier to the wall of an apartment building.
"Well what can I say when my coltfriend makes the best Dash I just can't help myself in indulging just a bit." She smiled. "Besides can we have some Dash fun when we get back?" Ash put up another poster.
"Sure. If we hurry we could probably get done before Fluid gets back."
"Then all the Dash will be ours!" Ash smiled. "You keep doing this side I've got the next street. We'll get this taken care of twice as fast that way!" Jet gave her a playful salute. Ash nodded and trotted off down an alleyway to the next street over. She just got to the other street before running into a ghoul. "Unf. Sorry mister, I didn't mean to run into you there." She helped the white earth pony ghoul back up. "You're not hurt are you sir?"
"Just a little dusted up. Say while you're putting up fliers could you deliver this for me. It shouldn't be to far out of your way and we'll call it even for you knocking me down." The ghoul offered Ash a small briefcase.
"Yeah sure not a problem sir. Where am I taking it off to?"
"Just drop it off at this place here." He pulled out a street map. "It's not to far from here. Just go down the street and drop it off to the pony inside. I was going to donate this thing to it."
"Sure I can drop this off I was heading down there pretty quick any ways, sorry about knocking you down mister."
"Flush, see you filly." Ash smiled and ran off. "Thanks filly you're saving me a lot of trouble." He smiled before walking down the street toward a block apartment building at the end of the street. Inside several ponies were strung out on drugs on the apartment's couch, several more were just leaving. Flush ignored them and made his way up the stairs to the last landing where a colt and filly were sleeping. "Hello, I've been told by a friend that you know about the new bat super pony that came into town."
"Not really sir." The colt rubbed his eyes, slowly waking up. "Not more than most ponies."
"Now, now, please don't lie to me. We both know that's not true and honesty is one of the most important virtues we ponies have." Flush patted the colt on the head. "Besides, I just want to play a game of cards with her, nothing bad ever happened over a game of cards." He tapped his chin. "You know what while we wait for her why don't we play a couple of hands too?" He leaned down. "We can even play for things. He pulled out a bag and put it down. "There we go 800 caps. That's a good starting bid."
"We don't have that many caps sir." The colt said as the filly looked into the bag, which had more caps in it than she'd ever seen.
"Well in old Equestria that would have been a problem, but in this day and age, you could bet yourselves." He offered. "800 caps is a big reward, you could get food, shelter, medicine. For a reward like that you'll need to take a big risk." He pulled out two bomb collars. "Now why don't we play." He put the collars down on the bag of caps. "What do you say?"
"I-I d-d-don't w-want t-t-t-to." The filly backed away trying to hide behind her brother as he looked at the bag of caps and the two slave collars resting on it.
"We could skip the game if you just want to tell me about our bat pony friend." Royal Flush pulled out a very worn out deck of cards and started shuffling.
"W-w-we really d-d-don't know her."
"Eight hundred is a lot of caps. Enough to I don't know..." He leaned in and whispered something into the colt's ear. The colt's face dropped. "All you have to do is win one game. One good hand of cards and your fortunes flip. Now would you mind cutting the deck?" He offered the deck to the colt. The colt looked at the deck of cards before splitting it in half putting the top half under the bottom half. "There we go. I thought that would get your attention. He dealt the himself and the colt a hand.





Dub was waiting for Lapis outside of the jewelry shop. When the bat mare got out of work she was practically pounced on by Dub. "Hello, hello, are we going to go to dinner tonight?" Dub smiled, it's a little bit early but it's still not safe to be walking around town after dark. No matter how safe the streets are."
"True I guess though this part of town has still been pretty quiet ever since we dealt with that large group of snatchers." Lapis slipped out of Dub's hug. "You think they're done for a while?"
"No." The pink mare shook her head. "Sadly we've been fighting them nearly non stop on northern and eastern parts of town. They'll likely be moving back to here soon enough."
"What you've been fighting snatchers and haven't invited me? I feel left out." Lapis tried to look upset about that.
"To be fair you're the only one with an actual day job. And it takes hours to get to the Northern part of town." Dub smiled. "And Fortiis would likely get a bit upset at us if we kept his employee awake all night, besides, the snatchers we've been fighting have been fighting have been more troublesome than they have been effective, they keep trying to pull us back closer into the middle of the city, you're not missing much. I promise."
"Well since you promise then I guess I can forgive you, but if you have trouble let me know. I'm always on the watch."
"Oh I know, bro-bro and I have spotted you doing your nightly patrols around the neighbor here. Thank you for that. It's good to know if something bad happens you'll be there to keep this place safe."
"Should I be concerned that you and your brother are stalking me?" Both of the mares laughed. "Hmm? What are these things about?" Lapis walked over to a freshly placed poster on the side of one of the concrete cubes, that made one of the apartment buildings of her street. "A party?"
"Yeah, Fluid throws these at his place every so often. They're a lot of fun. Colts and drugs everywhere, and bro-bro and I do all the music. My little Flu-flu got his cutie mark at a dance party you know, he's a really good dancer, and he absolutely adores hosting them."
"You're Flu-flu?" Lapis raised an eyebrow.
"He might as well be my colt I love him like he's mine. Jet Lag, and Ash too."
"Do I not get to have a Wub-Wub mom?"
"Cute but no I can't call you mine I'd have to have had you when I was what 2 months?" Lapis stifled a giggle. "Besides it would get really odd with you being my mare-friend-in-law."
"Mare, that is his friend." Lapis rolled her eyes as Dub had her turn giggling. "You're never dropping this are you?"
"Ne-ver!" she answered with a sing song voice. "So do you have a place in mind for our early super or are we just going to be walking around?"
"I have a place in mind, they're out on the bridge, and sell salads. The owner also owes me 12 caps." Lapis and Dub headed down the bridge to the small salad shack.
"Old Timer!" Dub cheered as she walked into the shanty shack.
"That's not my damn name Dub and you know it!" The ghoul pegasus turned around and looked between the two of them. "Huh, I see that you're back. Here to collect?"
"Sure am and to have dinner." Lapis and Dub walked to a small table in the corner of the building. "I'll have the same thing that I had last time."
"Ditto." The ghoul nodded and after a few minutes put two salads on their table. "Thank you Old Timer!" Dub smiled before starting to eat.
"For the last time Dub, that's not my name."
"How many last times have you had?" Lapis asked between bites.
"I don't know I lost track somewhere around 400 and that was years ago. I think I was a little younger than Flu is now." Dub shrugged, before the ghoul gently thwacked the back of her head with his wing. "Love you too Old Timer." She laughed  as the ghoul grumbled and walked  away to clean the counters. "So Lapis how are things going with you?"
"I'm loving working for Mr. Fortiis he's a good boss. He treats us well and he holds us to really high standards. 24 Karat is a good teacher too. I've learned more about jewelry making in the past couple of weeks than I have in years of self study."  Lapis smiled. "And working out at night is great too, even if things have gotten a bit quieter lately I've still managed to find things that need doing. I could use a break. When is that dance rave thing that you're doing?"
"This weekend. So six days." Dub looked up from her food. "I'm sure Flu would be happy to have you over, and I can bet bro-bro wouldn't mind the company either. You'll love the party, we're the best DJs this side of the Celestial Sea. And that's not just me being a braggart either."
"I'll look forward to showing up then." Lapis smiled. The two of them moved from conversation to conversation for the next half hour until Dub got up and headed out. Lapis looked at her salad for a little bit before turning to the pegasus ghoul. "Hey Old Timer could I have two more salads to go I have a couple of more or less roommates that probably haven't had anything to eat today."
"My name isn't Old Timer filly and if you get started on that so help me." He sighed. "But yeah I'll get you a couple more salads and we'll call that as the twelve caps deal filly?"
"Sure. Deal. Thank you." Lapis grabbed the two paper bags heading back to her apartment. The colt and filly weren't on the landing, but that wasn't to surprising, she'd been having them come up and eat dinner with her at her place, they might only be getting one meal a day, but it was already doing wonders for them. She walked into her room and froze. The colt and filly were both looking at her tears in their eyes on either side of a ghoul sitting in a chair at her table. Both of them were wearing bomb collar.
"Hello, Ms. Lapis, or would you prefer Sapphire the Crystal Archer, I would hate to be ruder than the situation already is. I hope that you don't mind that I let myself in. My name is Royal Flush, and I've been hired to deal with you and your friends. But I'm not a complete monster you know. I'm willing to give you a chance, after all chance and fate are so perfectly intertwined." He pulled out his deck of cards. "How about it? A game of poker."
"How about I beat your face face in?" Lapis growled. "Take those collars off of the foals right now bastard and get out of my home." Lapis glared down at the ghoul seething.
"Of course I'm more than willing to leave your home, but I'll be taking my property with me." He smiles as her slit eyes narrow down on him. "Now of course if you'd like to play a game for them."
"I said get those collars off of them and get out of my house." She took a few steps toward him about getting ready to pounce. Royal Flush just smiled and pulled out a small device, making Lapis' blood run cold and she felt her heart drop like a rock into her stomach.
"Now now I won them both fair and square." He smiled. "The only way these collars come off is if either you beat me in a game of poker, or I press this button and those collars go bang. Now do you want to play, or should I take may property to a buyer?" Lapis grit her teeth and snarled at him but walked up to the table. "There we go." He smiled shuffling the cards but keeping his hoof just inches from the detonator. "Would you like to cut the deck?"
"I'd like to cut you." She grumbled.
"I'm sure you would." Flush laughed offering her the deck. "Now because you're a bit more important to me than these two I'll make you a simple wager, win this hand and you get both of them lose it, and you put on a collar too." He pulled the deck back after she cut it. Putting another collar on the table. "Deal?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really no, oh I do love playing these games." He smiled brightly, and dealt them both a hand.





Fluid walked down the streets with Ash next to him undisguised. Ash looked over to him as they moved down the tight alleys that made up the changeling parts of town, which were normally crowded with small streets, to help imitate the hive like passages that they originated from. Tarps and canvases went from building too building to block out the sunlight to help sell the illusion. Keeping their areas covered like this also came with the added benefit that snatchers couldn't easily scout out their areas in the day, by just flying over head. Though, snatcher raids in changeling areas normally didn't work out well, hunters quickly became hunted in these areas. It was likely the changelings abducted just as many if not more ponies than snatchers  did,  though it was impossible to prove the rumors either way.  "So are you sure that you want to help me, we both know that Mr. Obsidian is a major ass hat. Especially to earth ponies."
"Yeah of all Dub's coltfriends he's the one I'm happiest about only being a one night stand." Fluid nodded. "But you're my little sis, so if you need to have somepony here to help you out then I'm more than willing to lend a hoof."
"Well so long as you're good with it, thanks." After half an hour of moving through tight streets they made there way to a series of apartment buildings. They were similar to Lapis' apartment buildings, only instead of being four story tall concrete cubes they were three story tall brick ones. The two of them walked inside one of the brick cubes.
"I'll admit changelings really do know how to do mood lighting." Fluid said as he and Ash walked in. The interior of the building was lit with stings and small orbs of changeling goo, phosphorescent lichen, and the odd candle. Several of the changelings looked up as the two of them entered. Many of them went back to what ever it was they were doing before they had come in, not paying them any attention. One of them walked toward them.
"Miss Ash, high born elite Obsidian, has ordered that I escort you and the mud pony to him," the drone said giving Ash a small bow. Fluid put on a neutral face to the slight.
"Don't call him that. He's an earth pony." Ash said with a frown.
"I'm sorry I din't mean to use the wrong word," the drone said a little confused. "I didn't mean to offend your dirt pony. Please forgive Chitin."
"It's alright Ash," Fluid said. "It's nothing less than what I'd expect from Obsidian."
"The dirt pony should show respect and not talk to changeling unless ordered, and not be so casual to high born elite Obsidian."  Chitin growled.
"I'm Fluid Moves, my family is of the prewar aristocracy, I believe that means in pony society I hold the same rank as he does in changeling society. Making us peers." Chitin grumbled to himself before turning and leading the two of them to a small, pitch black room closing the door behind him.
"Ash," a refined mid aged masculine voice said, as a light flick was switched on. A search light flooded them in light blinding them momentarily. "Welcome to my home, I hope you don't mind me calling you here, on such sort notice and for false pretense, but I need your help." After a second their eyes adjusted. The room was furnished with pristine furniture that could have been looted from a palace. While it was a studio apartment just one room, it was clear that changelings were much more accustomed to making the most of limited space, it was small, full of luxurious furniture, yet somehow didn't feel crowded. "Though to be honest I think I'm helping you out as well. You see I commissioned a piece of jewelry that should have been done by now. Fortiis is very good about deadlines, but one of his jewelers has gone missing. That same day I was contacted by somebody on how they might get to you." He looked between the two of them. "I'm a smart and well informed changeling. I know who you two are." He looked at fluid. "And what you do. One of the reasons I agreed to teach you Ash, teach you the secret things only a true elite is allowed to know, and only reason I have for letting you run around with a filthy mud pony." He held up a hoof to stop any protest. "Now this pony that is looking for you, you can find him at the old Gold Bit casino. Deal with him and get that bat mare back to work."
"And how do you know that he's responsible?" Fluid asked Obsidian remained quite looking down his nose at Fluid who sighed. "Mr. Obsidian."
"I suppose that's the best I can get out of you at the moment dirt eater." Obsidian sighed, and floated out a single photo. "Ash once you've gotten her back to work do come back with your mud pony, I do have important lessons to teach you." Fluid and Ash both glared gasped at the photo of Lapis in a bomb collar with a black eye. In a second they both galloped out of the building racing down the tight alleys and small roads. Ash pulled out the pip pad they had and shot a frantic message  to the other.
By the time they got to the abandoned casino on  the outskirts of the eastern end of town. They were both nearly out of breath. The others arrived finding them leaning against one of the boarded up buildings that had yet to be reoccupied. Just out of breath as they were. Dub's horn lit up with her brother's as Ash's suit and fluids floated to them becoming intangible for a second as it floated through them and then was on them.
"You two okay?" Dub asked.
"Yeah. A. A bit winded, but fine. According to Obsidian Lapis is in here." Disco Do-Gooder nodded. "You all look winded too."
"Yeah we're normally not going full speed to the other end of town." Dream panted. "And I really don't wan to again."
"Are you kidding me that was a great run, I could go for another couple of miles." Light pranced on the ground looking  around. "So are we going in and kicking bad guy ass or what?"
"Whoever it is they have a hostage, we need to move slow and carefully, in all likelihood we're walking right into a trap." Disc looked at the large casino.
"So we just walk in through the front door?" Dream asked.
"we don't really have an option do we?"
"Not really bro-bro." Dub looked over the group. "So we're going to be careful and take this nice and slow, let's go. But we're not going to use the door, and risk it being rigged with something." She flicked part of her sweat matted mane out of her face before moving in her horn glowing as she and Disc led the way to the building. The twins looked at each other and with a nod their horns lit up. The plastered concrete of the casino became like clay in their magic as the warped it into an arch way. The move in guns aimed looking around. The rest of the group followed them.
The casino was well lit. At the main entrance was a large circular desk. Past that were a few steps that went down to the game floor. The game floor was surprisingly empty all of the gambling machines had been hastily moved to the side wall leaving only a single card table in the middle of the large room. Sitting at it was a white ghoul in a prewar suit, with a black and red mane shuffling his deck of cards. Beyond him Lapis, and the colt and filly were chained to the railing next to the steps leading back up to the dinning hall.
"Hello, are you here to play?" Royal Flush asked with a smile. Dub and Disc locked there guns on him. Light, Ace of Flames, and Disco charged at him. Dream, Jet, and Rusty moved around to try and cut him off from any escape route.
"DON'T!" Lapis screamed, everyone froze.
"You see I just want to play a game, I have three chips to bet you have quite a few. I don't want you to just attack me, so I hacked the security system, any attack on me sets off a signal to blow off a balefire grenade bouquet I have on the western end of town. Even if you managed to hack the system I still have a manual detonator for it, and for them." Royal Flush smiled. "So what do you want to bet your freedom for theirs. Or my capture for the lives of others."
Disco grit his teeth. Ace fell back to Dub and whispered something to her. "Right." Dub sighed. "We've got to deal with that bomb first."
"I honestly don't care. So long as some of you stay behind to bet their freedom, eventually even if you get the bomb. There's still your friends over there." Dub huffed  at the ghoul's comment.
"Jet, Ash, Rusty, you three come with me." She looked to her brother. "Disc good luck." She led the others out. Once they were out of sight Dub grabbed Rusty. "Okay Ash, get to that pawn shop and see if you're right if not let us know right away. Rusty you're with me we're going to see if we can hack the security system. There should be a maintenance door around back. Let's move." Rusty nodded and ran around the building as Jet Lag and Ash shot into the air.
"I'm sure they'll be back eventually." Royal Flush put his deck down on the table. Dream nodded and jumped down onto the game floor and walked up to the table. Disc coming up on the rear. "One at a time. You can bet your freedom for the freedom of any one of them. You fold you lose. I fold I lose one of them. Deal." He asked putting down a bomb collar as Light grumbled sitting down at the table.
"Are you sure we can't just you know fight like normal."
"Hmmm No." He shuffled the deck then put it on the table. She cut the deck. "And if I lose and refuse to put that thing on?" She looked at the collar.
"What do you think happens."
"Whatever just deal me my hand already." She smiled as she was dealt her hand. "Oh yeah read them and weep! Pair of Jacks!" She cheered. Royal Flush looked a little concerned.
"We don't really do card games." Dream said. Disc face hoofed.
"What it's a good hand. They're face cards."
"In draw poker you can put away cards you don't want to try and get a better hand." So you'd want to try and get more jacks so put those other three cards over here." Light did so. "Then I deal three more cards to you for the three that you threw away this is now your real hand you can't get anymore cards. You see. And I do the same." He looked at his hand. "And Unless you got another jack I win three fives."
"What but jacks are like a lot higher than fives!"
"Yeah but, damn it I don't want to agree with him but three of a kind of anything beats any two of a kind. Even three twos would beat two aces." Disc groaned.
"What? That's dumb!"
"But it is the rules. Now do you follow them or not?"
"Fine." She put the bomb collar on. "I'm not a cheater if I lost fair and square then I lost. But when this thing is off I'm kicking your ass."
"Noted Next, how about the brother. Complete my set." The ghoul put another bomb collar down on the table.
"Yeah sure." He sat down at the table. Mind if I shuffle?"
"Of course not just roll up your sleeves."
"Right right nothing up my sleeves." He rolled up his sleeves and started shuffling. Royal Flush cut the deck and then Dream dealt them both a hand. Dream looked at his hand and then to the ghoul. "two for me." Royal Flush tossed three cards of his own tapping the table three times as he did so. Dream dealt each their cards. He smiled, "Two pair." He showed his hand, 5 5 J 10 10.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Royal Flush showed his hand. A 2 2 J 8. He pulled out a little remote with a press of the button the bomb collar and chain around the filly came off. The filly grabbed her brother shacking like a leaf. "Reshuffle."
"At least you keep your end of the bargain." Dream reshuffled and dealt them their cards again.
"Of course it would be bad etiquette not to. A gambler has to keep his word otherwise whats the point of leaving it all up to fate?" Royal Flush looked at his hand. "Besides in my life time I've found that Lady Luck smiles on those that keep their word. Two cards." Dream looked at his hand concerned before he discarded three of his own. "Flush." Royal Flush laid out a flush of diamonds. Dream sighed and put the bomb collar on. "Next you the one that started it all. Even if the others get away. They'd still pay me well for you." He waved Disco over to the table. Taking the cards and  shuffling them all back together.
"They?" Disco sat opposite Flush at the table as  a bomb collar was rolled to him.
"Mr. Subjugation, and his associates." The ghoul answered as the cards were dealt. Disco looked at his hand then the ghoul who only offered him the same blank smile, before tossing four cards away. "Oh an Ace. Looking to win big."
"No risk no reward." Disco answered.
"Let's see if it pays off." Disco answered. Looking at the four cards that were dealt to him. As Flush took his two.
"Well?" He laughed at the Disco Do-Gooder's face before he showed his hand. 5 5 Q Q Q.
"Noting." Disco reviled his hand. 9 8 A 4 J.
"Such a shame. Go on Colt Wonder, put on you new uniform. I'm sure it'll look beautiful on you."
"You think you're going to win this."
"Don't know I'm a gambling pony, could go my way or your friend there could win all his hands, shot your other friends might even find some strange way to save you. Hard to say. Now put on the collar or heads start popping." The ghoul smirked his hoof tapping the detonator just below the button. Disco growled but put the collar on. "See you look adorable with that nice and tight around your neck."
"Cute." Disc walked to the table his face an unreadable mask. "Don't worry you won't be wearing that for long."
"That face. Those soulless eyes, that unsearchable frown." Royal Flush looked at Disc as he sat down across the table form him. "Finally a pony that knows the game." Royal Flush offered him the deck. "Please be guest and shuffle I didn't think I'd get any fun but you. You're going to give me a lot fun."
"I'd hate to disappoint."  He said Flush pulled out the collar as he shuffled. Then offered the ghoul the deck to cut before dealing the cards. "before we begin I'll see your collar, but first I'm betting the filly for the colt. I lose you get her back."
"That's not very heroic."
"I'm the handler not the hero." Disc dealt the cards. "Deal?"
"Of course a chip is a chip." The ghoul smiled as he looked at his hand. Disc gave his hand a dispassionate glance before putting two cards away. "Looks like I only need one." Flush smiled and put the card away taping the table once. Disc dealt the cards. "You first." Disc showed his hand. 4 4 4 J 7.
"You win." The ghoul showed his own hand. 10 4 J K 9. Disc reshuffled and dealt a new hand. The ghoul pulled out another release device and pushed it. The colt's collar came off.
"Same, filly for the filly." The ghoul looked at his hand as Disc made the wager.
"I'll see your filly and raise you their brothers." Flush discarded two cards.
"Fine." Disc said his face just as unreadable as he put three cards away. After the new cards were dealt the ghoul showed his hand 5 5 5 J J, in time with Disc's own reveal 8 6 3 2 Q. 
"They go back in to the bomb collars, it looks like you've only got one chip left to bet."
"B-b-but."
"Back into your collar brat or all your wanna be heroes' heads go pop." The colt and filly put their collars back on. Disc's expression never once changing.
"I'll bet my returned filly against you." The ghoul smiled.
"Fine." Disc shuffled the deck before offing it to be cut. Disc put away four cards. The ghoul did likewise.
"This is fun. Each of us has an ace. Only you can't lose." Disc looked at his new hand. "Well gambler, show your hand." Disc showed it A K 9 2 2. "Good." The ghoul nodded grabbing the release control again. "But not good enough." He showed his own A 4 4 Q J. "I win put on your collar." The ghoul smiled. Disc just sat there his poker face unchanged.
There was a long quite pause that dragged on for several seconds as Disc just sat there.
"Come on don't feel to ba-" The ghoul was interrupted by a loud beep. "What was that?"
"My pip pad telling me my sister and Rusty hacked the security systems. Another two beeps followed. "And that was Ash letting me know that pesky bomb of your's has been dealt with." He let his poker face fall into a grin. "Which means we win. Don't feel to bad." The second those words were spoken the Disco Do-Gooder was already on the table swinging a sweeping kick into the ghoul's face. Royal Flush hit the floor. Dozens of detonators spilling out of his suit as he did so. Light hit as many of the release buttons as she could. Her collar came off along with all the others except Disco's.
"I told you when mine came off I was going to kick your ass." She smirked twirling her arnis. Royal flush backed away pulling out three grenades, he took off running pulling the pins and tossing them. One a the colt and filly. One onto the poker table, and one at Light. "Batter up!" She cheered hitting it like a baseball back into the main entrance. Dream grabbed  Disco and flipped the table as he covered the two of them under his umbrella, his horn glowing as his magic enveloped it. Lapis grabbed the colt and filly diving away with herself between them and the grenade. Disc's horn lit up as the floor rose like clay forming a wall between Lapis and the explosive. A second later all three went off.
Disc was thrown back howling in pain as shrapnel blasted through him. Dream's umbrella and Disc's impromptu shield kept the others safe as the main deck exploded. Disco screamed seeing the pink stallion hit the slot machines against the wall and falling limply to the floor, before chasing after Royal Flush, Light right beside him. Royal Flush rounded a corner jumping as he did. The two heroes hit the trip wire as they ran after him. A firework shot out flying at them. Disco managed to dodge it pushing up against the wall as Light hit the floor. The fire work exploded into the corner behind them.
"Go get him!" Light yelled a few pieces of the wall on top of her. Disco ran up the stairs as Light pushed the rubble off of her.  "Kick his ASS!"
As Disco rounded the corner on the stairs his head was slammed into the wall. His cheek bone pressing something in. His collar started beeping. "You take even a little bit of pressure off the button Colt Wonder and I'll be delivering you sans head to my employer." Royal Flush screamed as the Disco Do-Gooder's hoof shot out catching him in the snout. The ghoul growled slamming a knife into the offending hoof pinning it to the wall. Disco's scream was answered by Light's hooves running up the stairs. "I'm folding this is a bad hand but we'll finish our game later." Royal Flush ran into one of the hotel rooms above the casino and jumped out the window.
"Oh no." Light skidded to a halt as she saw Disco's state. "Don't worry Jet's on his way with healing potions." She looked around before spotting an old stereo remote. "I got this." She grabbed it and pressed the eject button. To Disco's surprise it worked. She grabbed the collar and threw it into the other room.
"Disc."
"Disc is okay. Bad but Jet said he'd be here in a few seconds to patch him up." Light said helping pulling the knife out of the wall. Fluid got to his hind hooves as Light helped him back down the stairs to the others.





Ponies cheered and jumped dancing to the beat of the music as fog and lights worked together to create a seemingly alien atmosphere. Dub and Disc used their magic to fire of flashy spells as they worked their turn tables and sound systems. Several hundred ponies had filled the mansions dance hall celebrating and partying. Most of them were already high, and nearly all of Jet Lag's drugs were gone.
"This is a great party!" Light laughed jumping up and down on a table to the beat of the music.
"It really is. I try to throw the best parties I can." Fluid smiled. Leaning back in the booth seat as he watched the lights dance off of the fog that filled the room,  and all the bouncy ponies dancing in it.  He knew somewhere on the edges Jet and  Ash were have a slow dance, but couldn't see them through the crowd.
"I'll say that you did it, this is one of the best parties I've ever been to." Lapis took a sip from her cup. "Good beer to, after such a rough week it's nice to let loose and unwind."
"Think he'll be back?" Light asked still bouncing on the table.
"Unfortunately yeah."
"What why unfortunately I still owe him an ass kicking. If he think's I've forgotten I haven't he's getting a good whooping next time I see him." Light cheered. Fluid laughed getting off of the cushioned seat and joining her on the table jumping in step with the beat.