//------------------------------// // S1, Ch.8.5 // Story: 2 Bits Short of a Full House // by Chaotic Ink //------------------------------// “Are you sure about this?” “Of course I am. I already told you: nopony needs to know Celestia was there. Just say you were sent and that’s that.” Sapphire looked down at Berry’s house/business again. “You know them better than I do.” The kirin and the pegasus were perched on a cloud over the town polishing up their cover story. What it boiled down to was that Sapphire Breeze had been sent down from Canterlot to Ponyville as a personal aid to Midnight by order of Princess Celestia. She had arrived with a scroll outlining as much. “All you’re lying about is Celestia being in my kitchen and that I’m a captain of the guard now. Trust me, they’ll buy it. Now, let’s get down there already.” With that Midnight fell backwards off the cloud and dived towards the ground. Sapphire followed, but at a more subdued pace. This time Berry got to the door almost right after the first knock. “Hey Midnight, I was just wondering when you’d get here.” Then she noticed Sapphire standing behind her. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed for the night.” “She’s with me Berry. I hope another player’s alright.” “The more the merrier, I just need to break out a second deck now; less shuffling.” ------------------------- The back room and set up was the same as last time, although it seemed that Derpy hadn’t raided Carrot’s fridge again. “I actually gave her a list this time around.” Berry told Midnight and Sapphire as they sat down after they introduced Sapphire. “Figured I’d give Carrot a break.” “Speaking of breaks,” Midnight began as she turned towards Lyra, “we can assume Bon Bon is okay with you being here this time?” “Of course I am! Last time was just… a misunderstanding.” Lyra said as she waved a hoof dismissively. “What happened last time?” Sapphire whispered to Midnight. “Lyra nearly lost all her bits the first time we played, something her mare-friend wasn’t very happy about. Bon Bon came in here and screamed her head off at her before dragging her home the last time we got together. Word is she’s still on the couch.” “So, if you’re all friends, then why don’t you tell her not to gamble?” “Because this is one of her few normal hobbies and we’d like her to keep it. Besides, we didn’t take all her bits, and we’re supposed to each have a separate savings just for this.” Sapphire raised an eyebrow. “Normal hobbies?” “Trust me; you’ll find out sooner or later.” While Midnight explained things to Sapphire, Berry was staring down Lyra. “I don’t want Bon Bon in here screaming again Lyra.” “She won’t! Look, I talked it out with her, and once she saw it was a separate savings thing like you suggested she said it was fine! I mean I’ve only got thirty bits this time, mainly because Bon Bon’s made me do the shopping, but I’ve still got money to play!” Berry raised her hooves in a calming gesture. “Alright Lyra, we believe you. Let’s just deal the cards out.” ----------------------------- After four hooves everypony was still roughly tied except for Midnight. With only eleven bits left if she lost the next hand she was out. “So… do any of you know what was with those bugs the other day?” Midnight asked as she dealt the next hoof out. Immediately there was an uproar with Berry, Derpy, and Lyra all yelling at once. “They ruined my make-up date with Bon Bon!” “They ate a delivery of wine, then they ate the wagon it was on!” “The muffins were all gone!” Midnight leaned back from the wailing an nashing of teeth. “Well, I guess it’s fortunate I live on the edge of town” she whispered to Sapphire. “I have no idea what’s happening to this town!” Berry wailed. “Between those bugs, that dragon causing all that smoke, and the ursa attack...” she threw up her hooves in frustration. “What ursa attack!?” Midnight and Sapphire yelled together. Berry looked incredulously at them. “It happened before you got here Sapphire, but you,” she pointed an accusing hoof at Midnight, “how could you not know about it!? It was roaring and rampaging right up one of the main roads through town!” “And when did all THIS happen!?” Midnight yelled back. “The night after that traveling magician came to town! It woke everypony in town up!” “What time at night?” “Around midnight, I think?” Midnight had a look of realization. “Oh… yeah I was dead asleep.” “How could you sleep through that!?” Lyra cried. “I only notice noises from inside my house when I sleep. That ursa could have been roaring right next to my side door and I wouldn’t have noticed.” Everypony was staring at her. “Oh, for Faust sake, it couldn’t have been that bad if I’m just hearing about it now.” “You know, that’s another thing,” Lyra chimed in. “Why do you always say ‘Faust’ instead of ‘Celestia’?” “Because Faust was the one who created the world, or at least she was according to Starswirl the Bearded.” “Where did you read that?” Sapphire asked. “When I was a filly back in Manehattan I ran across a copy of one of his books in a library. I read it because I thought it would explain why this,” she poked her horn, “wouldn’t work. The book said an ancient alicorn called Faust was the one who created the world. Celestia and Luna weren’t present during the story of Hearth’s Warming, which is proof they didn’t create it, and I think it’s rather bad everypony seems to praise her and ignore Luna.” Derpy, Berry, and Sapphire all drooped their ears when they realized Midnight was right that they never used Luna’s name. Lyra, however, was focusing on something else. “Holy Celestia, that makes total sense! Celestia and Luna aren’t in the play! Another piece of evidence to add to the list! Celestia and Luna’s rule are all a lie! Alicorn tyranny!” Berry’s face shifted from ashamed to pissed as she glared at the kirin. “Thanks Midnight. Thank you ever so much.” Midnight grinned sheepishly. “I see what you mean” Sapphire told her. ---------------------- Lyra’s rant didn’t last long. In an almost perfect repeat of their first game night, Lyra went all ten bits in several hooves later, although this time it was against Sapphire instead of Midnight. “Four bits,” she said as she looked down at what was left. “I had three queens, and the new mare HAD to get a straight in the same hoof!” To make matters worse she was also the only one to lose any bits. Derpy had broken even, Berry had earned one bit, Midnight seven, and Sapphire actually had won the most with a grand total of forty-eight bits. “Sorry Lyra, but maybe next time?” “Yeah, if there even IS a next time.” The unicorn grumbled. “Bon Bon’s going to kill me.” “Try praying to Luna or Faust this time. Might actually work.” Midnight told her.