//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Las Pegasus baby! // by DarkSecrets //------------------------------// The trolley pony pushed the cart down the cars of the train. A soda here, two cracker packets there, a cheese sandwich for the elderly mare in the last chair, and into the next car. As he pushed open the door he noticed that this car was mostly empty. Only two mares were inside, sitting on opposite sides of the car, facing out the windows away from each other. “Anything from the trolley misses?” Silence. “Umm...I have sandwiches, juice, sodas, hay fries…?” Stillness pervaded the air. He could feel the tension between these two, and quietly moved on to the next car over. Applejack didn’t want to be here. Not with her. While both ponies had to pay for the travel, they were upgrade by their Las Pegasus passes to a private car so they wouldn’t have to share the long journey with anypony other than their randomly selected roommate. Only two sets of plush train-car chairs were in the room, facing each other towards the middle of the train. The car may not have been very big, but the distance she and Rarity had put between each other would seem massive to anypony else, yet couldn’t be big enough for either of them. “Ya know, this was supposed to be my trip, my relaxing getaway from you and whatever the hay Pinkie was tryin’ ta do.” Applejack mentioned without turning her head. “Well that was precisely my idea as well, dear Applejack, but I really don’t wish to go on about this anymore. We can figure out what to do once we arrive but i’m no saying another word to you for the duration of this trip!” “Fine by me!” The hours rolled slowly by, the scenery transitioning from forest to plains to the semi-arid landscape where the city lay. And then there it was. Rarity was practically a magnetic repellant for the farmpony, but she couldn’t help herself when the amazing city came into view through the white pony’s window. She got up and walked over, careful not to get too close to her co-occupant. “Whoah…” Applejack breathed as the train began the short homestretch towards the cloud towers of Las Pegasus. “Oh that’s right this is your first time.” Rarity said, eyes half-lidded and an undercurrent of annoyance in her voice. “I do suppose it is magnificent upon first glance. This is one of the most elegant and upper-class places in Equestria.” “Ain’t this place called the city of sin?” Replied Applejack. “Well...I suppose it does carry that title. Most ponies do come here for a more *ahem* exciting vacation.” Rarity stated. As the train car came to a halt inside the cloud station, Applejack and Rarity grabbed their luggage and headed out onto the platform. The heat was nearly unbearable, but Applejack was too stunned to care. Las Pegasus had originally been an outpost for rogue Pegasi, built in the early days of Equestria. A grand cloud city just like Cloudsdale, with pillars and buildings crafted from the fluffy white stuff made to harbor rough and tumble Pegasi who loved to drink, gamble and wreak havoc to their hearts content. The distant location kept them far out of the reach of law ponies, who were based in Canterlot, and the desert underneath left wild creatures, weather and all other forms of annoyance or intrusions away. However since the ponies who occupied the city were not exactly perfectly responsible citizens with advanced degrees in construction or maintenance, the city slowly began to sink down to ground level. When it finally hit land, ponies from all over came to see the amazing “cloud city on the ground,” and found it’s wild style to be extremely enjoyable. More ponies and Pegasi builders moved there, and slowly built up the city. Combined with strong reinforcement from traditional earth pony techniques, magic lights and architecture from unicorns, and cloud material, the city spread for miles. An endless array of cloud towers and buildings loomed over the desert, held up by concrete materials and supports and enchanted with lights sounds, water features, and of course and ever present cloud-walking spell so that every pony could enjoy the modern marvel, and spend their hard-earned bits. Applejack’s jaw was almost on the floor. “Yes, yes it’s fabulous I know, now let’s get moving! I don’t want to spend anymore time with you than I have to.” Rarity said, trotting past the statuesque farm pony. Applejack shook her head and followed her companion. “Where’re we supposed to go?” she replied. “We are staying at the Treasure Stable hotel. Not as high class as some of the others but it is undoubtedly fun, and in a good spot on the stretch too.” Rarity replied, happy that she was back in one of her favorite cities, even if it was with Applejack. The two quickly made their way to the hotel, Rarity’s memory being an excellent guide. Everywhere applejack turned her eyes, lights, clouds, and beautiful designs assaulted her. A solid gold-windowed cloud tower loomed over her to the left, glowing in the afternoon light. Down the way, another hotel decorated with statue’s of ponies from ancient Equestria stood on the battlements of what appeared to be a castle. On her right a large lagoon sat in front of another hotel, a makeshift volcano spewing water into the air, accompanied by magic steam and lights, refilling the water feature below. Before long the two vacationing ponies came upon a modest sized resort that was exactly as Rarity had described. It was decorated with all sorts of fun designs made to resemble the sea and pirate ponies, with merponies, giant squid and skulls everywhere. Out front a stage made to look like a ship had ponies dressed as pirates jumping from ledge to ledge, sword fighting and performing various stunts. It was one of the coolest things Applejack had ever seen. “Are you done sightseeing?” Rarity asked Applejack, annoyed with her companion, turned and replied with a smirk. “I’m just gettin’ started!” Rarity hmphed and walked into the revolving doors, heading towards the check-in desk. “Excuse me? Madame?” Rarity said while motioning with her hoof at the concierge. The silver maned, green coated earth pony behind the counter stepped forward. “Welcome to Treasure Stable Resort and Casino, how can I help you?” The bubbly mare greeted. “We’re here to check in for our stay this weekend, however we have a bit of an issue. You see my *ahem* friend and I over here don’t really get along with one another, yet we have been paired together by this package here.” Rarity said. She slid the info packet and their passes to the mare who looked them over. “I see.” said the concierge “Yes well I was wondering if you could find any other ponies in the program who would be eligible and switch our roommates so we can enjoy ourselves?” Rarity asked forcing a warm but pleading smile at the silver maned pony. “I am sorry ma'am but this packet requires that ponies be paired according to the city in which they came from. You two are the only ones here from Ponyville at the moment. I’ve never actually even seen one of these come from Ponyville. How did you get this?” She asked skeptically. “It arrived in the mail.” Applejack said, stepping forward. “Look is there anyway you can help us out? Maybe send one of us to a different room? Or any other participating hotel?” “I’m sorry but the program is designed to fill unwanted double rooms that won’t get booked by single ponies or groups of ponies. And the assigned roommates must stay with someone else in the program from the same city. Since you two are the only ones here from Ponyville, I can’t change anything. I’m terribly sorry,” she stated. To her credit, her concern seemed genuine, so Applejack decided not to push any further. Rarity huffed. “Well it looks like once again we’re stuck together. I’m am going to be the bigger mare and make the most of it. So for the rest of this stay we will share a room, but you are on your own out here.” “I think that’d be best for the both of us!” Applejack shot back. The pair grabbed their luggage and headed up to their room. As the doors opened, both Applejack and Rarity’s sour expressions turned into awe. The room was a suite unlike any other. A single bedroom sat off to the side of the main room, sporting to beds next to each other, one deep blue like the depths of the ocean, the other seafoam and white like cascading waves. Pirate skulls and crabs and sharks were everywhere, on every feature. A piano, lacquered with deep blues, greens and browns, sat in the center of the room, perfectly matching the ocean-faring theme. Just past the coral-colored couches, piano, and fireplace was a stage/dance floor that had a railing which was made to appear like the deck of a ship, and floor to ceiling windows split it down the middle, creating both a spacious inside area and an amazing pirate ship balcony. Two full bars completed the picture: one outside on the balcony behind the captain’s wheel and one inside, resting in the water of an extremely large pool/hot tub that sat toward the pirate ship's bow, creating the illusion of a pristine ocean. “This is the most amazing room I’ve ever seen! Rarity exclaimed. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen! Applejack responded. Both girls smiled and squee’d turning to each other with excitement in their eyes. They quickly realized their situation, scoffed and turned away from one another. They quickly pulled in their luggage and as Applejack looked around the room more, Rarity jumped into the bathroom, throwing up a literal trunk load of beauty supplies on the counter. “Well, I’m going out to see this city!” Applejack exclaimed. Rarity peaked her head out of the bathroom. “Dressed like that? tsk tsk tsk.” Applejack gave her a cold glare, opened the door and left. ~~~ The streets were a blur of activity. The crowd, which had seemed busy but still manageable earlier, had exploded at the onset of night. Everywhere she went Applejack was shuffling around ponies, trying to figure out which was was up. Even still she was upbeat. She was in Las Pegasus, on vacation! This is where ponies came to have the best time of their lives. I don’t even know what to do first! Applejack thought to herself. Should I try my hoof at gambling? Granny says it’s bad to gamble, but maybe just a table or two. Or should I look into one of the clubs I’ve been hearing about and get a drink? Speaking of which where are all the bars anyhow? Eventually Applejack made her way into one of the casinos and, seeing an empty spot, sat down at a 21 table. “I want to try some gamblin’!” the farmpony announced proudly. Every pony at the table stared at her, and she sank a little into her seat. The dealer mare eyed her up and down. “Minimum bet is 2 bits, place your money on the table.” Applejack complied and placed twenty bits down. The mare took them and replaced them with a small stack of chips, each imprinted with a two on them. “Bets forward please.” the mare asked, staring at Applejack. “Oh, right.” Applejack said as she slid a chip onto the little circle in front of her. The dealer flipped the cards to each pony, and before applejack could even really process what she had, was asked if she wanted to hit or stay. Applejack looked down and realized she was at fifteen. “I’ll hit!” The mare eyed her, flipped the card and pull Applejack’s chip away. “Wait what happened?” the orange pony asked bewildered. “You busted. You got twenty-three.” The mare replied, slightly annoyed. “But i didn’t even see what happened! You went too fast!” Applejack cried. “Ma’am you must pay attention, this is a fast game.” Applejack hmphed and sat back. Each pony was eyeing her. “What?” she asked. “Bet ma’am, new round.” Oh, sorry. Applejack slid two chips forward. If I win now, I’ll win back my lost bit and then some! Cards flipped, but before and anything could happen, the dealer looked at her cards, flipped them and took everyone’s chips. “Huh?” What happened now?” Applejack asked. “The house got twenty-one, house wins.” “Ugh!” Eight hands later Applejack walked away from the table, sans chips. “Well I won one hand. But the next took two chips away. I don’t think gambling is for me. Maybe i’ll find a bar.” She walked across a bridge over the street towards another hotel. She found a small counter with a bar but no real atmosphere. Looking around, she only saw more of the same. “Hey how come most o’ these bars don’t really have a dance floor or real room?” She asked the mare behind the counter. “You must be new in town.” She replied coolly. “Sweetie, most of the bars here are for drinks, not really pleasantries. Why would anyone want to stay in a room drinking when you can simply walk with your drink down the street?” “You can do that here?” Applejack asked, amazed. “Of course! But if you really want a room and a dance floor and lights, you need to find a club.” The mare replied. “Anyways what can I get you hun?” “Um, I’m not sure. I don’t recognize these drinks. Got any whiskey?” Applejack asked. “Well the burning mare has some fireball whiskey in it! And it’s not bitter like the normal stuff, that whiskey tastes like cinnamon!” The mare exclaimed. She filled a tall plastic tube that reminded Applejack of a trumpet up with a multicolored slushie like liquid and passed it to Applejack. Applejack took and sip and squeezed her eyes shut. It was pure sugar, she couldn’t even taste the alcohol. “Ponies call these drinks?” She asked, still puckering her lips. “Yup! that’ll be seven bits! Applejack was nearly floored by the price, but reluctantly paid and took her drink. Well she said the clubs were more like normal bars, so let’s try there! She thought to herself as she walked down the road. ~~~ Rarity sat down at the poker table, done up to perfection. Her hair had been curled far more than usual, and hung in several strands of tight ringlets. Playful and elegant she had thought to herself when she finished after two hours in the bathroom. “Evening gentlemen, my name’s Rarity and momma is here to take your bits!” She teased at the two stallions sitting next to her. “We have a cocky one here fellas.” The dealer stallion said to the others. “Do you know how to play ma’am?” “Oh yes, this little city is my home away from home!” Rarity replied. She pushed sixty bits towards the stallion who returned them to her in various sized chips. “The game is Dodge Hold ‘em folks, minimum bet is five bits.” Rarity played through hand after hand, winning some, losing others but staying rather even. Eventually the stallion on the far side ran out of chips and stormed off in a huff. It was just her and the pony to her right now. She placed in fifteen bits after being handed her cards, a ten and a king, both diamonds. She always felt lucky when she had diamonds on her side, after all they were literally on her sides. The stallion matched her bet, adding two chips to his first one and the dealer flipped. A king, a nine and a jack came up. The stallion bet twenty more bits. He must have two pair, nopony makes that bold a move this early. Rarity thought. Well I have the king so he can’t be higher there, but if he has a jack he’ll beat me out if I get a two pair also. She matched his bet, hoping she might beat him by the turn. The river came down. A ten. Rarity tripled her amount, hoping to win him out. He matched. Two piles of one hundred and thirty-five bits sat at the table. The turn came. A three. Oh what the hay? She thought. In a desperate attempt to win she went all in. Maybe she could bluff him. He matched. “You’re cards?” The dealer asked. The stallion showed. He had the king and the jack, two pair. Damn! Rarity thought to herself. And I have the lower pair, even if I did have two diamonds. Wait a minute, diamond diamond, diamond Diamond...DIAMOND! “Wha HA HAA!” She exclaimed as she showed her flush. The stallion’s jaw dropped, and the stack of bits was pushed towards her. He smiled at her, bowed his head in a solemn nod and left. Rarity turned to show off her winnings to her friends. “Did you see how much I…” She trailed off as she realized she was alone. The dealer noticed her sudden halt. “Congratulations miss, that was very well played.” He said. “Thank you. I wish someone else could have seen it though.” She responded. “You didn’t come here with anypony else?” He asked “Well I’m staying with a friend...well she’s not really a friend I would say…well she is but we’ve had a bit of a...falling out, you see.” Rarity tried to explain. “I’m sorry to hear that. Hopefully it will workout, Pegasus is always much more fun with friends.” He said. Rarity thanked him, generously tipped him, and then stashed her bits and left. Her mind fought herself as she walked down the Stretch. This is the first time I’m even in this city alone. She thought. Maybe I was too hard on Applejack. No! She was rude and inconsiderate and ruined everything. I’ll just have to press on and have fun on my own! Even if it would be better with somepony else here. Rarity walked out of the hotel into the night air, turned, and heading off towards her favorite club, Lunar. It took her a few minutes to get to the opposite side of the Stretch but once she was there she made her way into the Palms hotel and resort which held Lunar, an exclusive but still casual nightclub. She could see the line had built up considerably, but she was a regular here. Every other time she had come her and her friends had never had to wait in line once. As she approached, she heard a particularly familiar southern drawl. “What they hay do ya mean I ain’t dressed up enough? why do I need to be dressed up? I’ve been waitin’ like everypony else and my bits are just as good!” Applejack huffed at the bouncer pony. “Sorry but we have a standard here at Lunar, and letting you in would be against policy. If you go back and get cleaned up we can let you in.” He replied calmly but forcefully. Applejack scowled at the stallion, turned and began to trot away. “Well it seems like somepony has no idea how Las Pegasus works.” Rarity chimed in smugly. “This whole city is just as fruit-bat crazy as you are!” Applejack yelled. “I can see why this place is your favorite! It’s fast paced and fancy and expensive and doesn’t know how to have a regular good time!” Applejack spat at Rarity as the unicorn made her way to the bouncer. Rarity walked up to the bouncer and gave him a sultry stare. “Back of the line miss.” He stated “What? but why? How could you not let me just go in?” Rarity said as Applejack laughed on the floor. “You gotta wait like everypony else. You look good enough though, so you will get in.” He turned to Applejack. “See this is what our standards are. Look as good as her and you’ll get in no problem.” Applejack immediately stopped laughing and turned away annoyed. “Excuse me sir but I don’t look good, I look fabulous! I’m beautiful, young, I get how this game is played and I’m single! Why can’t you just let me in?” Rarity begged. “Well one part of it is that you’re single. You won’t buy as many drinks as a group will, you won’t attract as much attention from stallions, and even though you’re stunning, we usually only let groups of stunning, fun mares through without waiting. That makes us money and gets us more business. You won’t. Now please, back of the line.” Rarity huffed and turned her head. “Absolutely not! I will not wait in line as I never have had to for this club! She turned and trotted away. “Looks like little miss prissy ain’t having herself a great time neither!” Applejack said to Rarity, smirking. “Shut it you! At least I know my way around! Speaking of which why are you walking beside me? Rarity said. “I’m not, I’m going back to the hotel. This night is over fer me!” Applejack said. “Well I am too!” Rarity hastily shot back. “Then we’re goin’ the same way, shut yer yap and deal with it!” Applejack retorted. The mare spent the rest of the walk in silence, not even speaking when they made it back to their suite. “I don’t understand what you see in this place.” Applejack said once they were inside. “It’s all fancy lights and pretty buildings to cover up crazy ponies and highway robbery!” “Oh dear Applejack you know nothing about this town! This place has more fun and excitement in it than you will ever experience in your life!” Rarity snapped. “I’ll believe it when I see it sister! But right now I’m going to sleep!” Applejack hissed as she climbed into bed. “Fine!” Rarity shot back, wriggling into her bed as well. “You’ll see when I get my bearing and come back tomorrow night with stories that will knock your country socks off! Now please be quiet and let me get my beauty sleep!” “FINE!” Applejack shouted She turned around in bed quickly, and with one swift motion, angrily turned the light off.