((Prompt: Vacationing in Los Pegasus.))
Fluttershy finished her tea and stood up, stretching her legs. “I'm sorry for leaving early,” she said, shaking her wings out, “but I need to get back to the cottage. The mice are putting together a soccer league, and I'm supposed to be the referee. Thank you for the tea.”
Twilight and Rarity both smiled and waved goodbye. “It's always good to see you, darling,” Rarity said.
Fluttershy nodded her head and quietly pushed her way out the door.
Twilight took another sip from her cup as she watched the door swing shut. “You know, I've never quite been able to ask...”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Ask what, darling?”
Twilight hesitated before answering. “Where does she get her money?”
“Beg your pardon?” Rarity took a sip from her tea.
“Fluttershy,” Twilight said, gesturing toward the door. “I mean, she spends more on birdseed in a month than most ponies spend on food for themselves. And then there's the vet bills, and she's got to make payments on her cottage somehow. How does she pay for it all? She spends all her time taking care of the animals, which is nice and all, but nopony pays her for it. She can't possibly make enough selling chicken eggs.”
An amused look spread across Rarity's face. “Actually, she doesn't sell the eggs,” she said. “She gives them away to anypony who asks for them.”
“She does?” Twilight asked, receiving a nod in response. “How does she do it? I'm a princess, for Celestia's sake, and I still have to fight the bill collectors out of the library with a broom!”
Rarity chuckled at the mental image. “You mean she's never told you?”
Twilight shook her head. “Told me what?”
“I suppose I'm not surprised,” Rarity said, shrugging. “It's not really a secret, but she doesn't often talk about what she does on those twice-yearly 'vacations' of hers. I never found out myself until the time I decided it would be fun to go with her...”
*
The room was dimly lit, full of the smells of smoke and alcohol. The band on stage at the other end of the den filled the place with a smooth jazz tune while the casino staff brought drinks on trays around to all the ponies that had elected to lose money at this particular establishment.
Around the poker table sat a collection of glamorous models, well-dressed businessponies, intimidating toughs, and also one meek, timid yellow pegasus who bit her lip as she peered at her cards.
“All right, show 'em.” A cigar-chewing stallion put his hoof on the table.
A businesspony with an obnoxious tie put his cards down. “A pair of aces,” he said.
A supermodel with bright jewels running up and down her ears grinned. “Three queens.”
A rough-looking stallion with a scar on his cheek smirked. “None of that beats a straight,” he said. The rest of the table turned to look at Fluttershy.
Her ears sagged. “Oh. I think I lost,” she said dejectedly. “All of mine are the same color, and only one has a number on it.”