//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: A Friendly Wager 
// Story: Equestria Divided: Faceless Legion 
// by ArthurGabriel 
//------------------------------//

	Arthur quietly trotted back to the barracks. Still in shock with what just happened. Sure Applejack may have sworn to have her daughter protected. But, ponies can get around words. There's always a loop hole of some sort. He opened the door and saw his friends playing cards. "Hey Art. You in? Its a one bit antie?" He looked at them and shook his head 'no.'

He quietly trotted back to his bunk, as he passed them they quietly talked amongst themselves. "What's up with him?" 

"Don't know," said Jade. "Were you able to stay for his hearing Tin?" He shook his head. "No, they wouldn't let me stay...but, I got a good feeling on what it is." 

"Well..." Joker asked. A stationed Earth Pony: gray coat, blue mane and bright red eyes "Well what?" Tin sounding a bit confused. "You gonna tell us what's up?" 

"I'd rather not, for all our sakes." Toll had a rather scrunched up face. "Come on man. You owe us that much." Tin lightly chuckled, "I'll tell ya what. If I lose this hand, I'll talk. If I win, you all drop it, got it." They quietly nodded in agreement.

In the other room, Arthur quietly looked at the photo's and drew Rose. He quietly sighed, sinking into sadness. It wasn't deep depression, his was just lethargic. He tried cheering himself up on old memories: the first time he met Rose, their first date, kiss, their wedding, and even the birth of Aurora. However, it didn't help like he thought it would. Instead it sank him further into this depression.

Back in the other room, the last card was played. Every pony revealed their hand, Tin won the hand. "...your still not gonna drop this, are you?" They all shook their head. 

Tin sighed deeply, "fine. But you can't tell anyone understand." They nodded in agreement. Then Tin told them of why Arthur could be depressed. He went into details on how he found both him and his daughter locked up in a basement, how he was almost ordered to cut his daughters horn off, and even told them of their brief trial on whether or not his daughter should lose her horn. 

Jade then said, "well...if, she's protected. Why is he still depressed?" "Well...I'd guess that the supreme master wanted the order carried out, against Granny Smiths prior plea," Tin suggested as he reshuffled the deck.

Arthur slowly walked out with his saddle bag packed and ready to go. "Where do you think your going," Tin asked as he dealt the hand, "I'm going home." Arthur said as he took his hat, "what do you mean your going home?" Jade sounded puzzled.

"Simple as that. I'm gonna by a train ticket, go back to Ponyville, retrieve my daughter, and live on the run." Jade ran up and closed the door, Toll went around and sealed the windows and other doors. "You can't do that Artie!" Tin said as he got out of seat, "I don't care. I'm going home, and I'm gonna do just that. I'm sick and tired of my daughter being used as a, plaything for high command." 

"You can't do that though Artie, you'll be considered a traitor." Tin tried pleading him, gesturing to keep his voice down. "I could care less Tin! My wife is gone, these, damn Earthborn elites wanna take away the thing that makes my daughter different from me! Now I'm going back, one way or another whether you like it or not."

Arthur made his way to the door that Jade kept locked and blocked him from it, "Jade, move." "No," she braced the door and even spread her wings. "Jade. Move now, or I'll, make you move," Arthur was starting to get frustrated ."You don't scare me Artie," Jade glared at him.

"Ya know...they say its the quiet ones that you gotta look out for," Tin then interrupted him, "enough! Look Artie, I get it. Your home sick, you wanna see your daughter. I get that. All I'm asking is to wait alright. I'm sure we'll be heading back there soon. Trust me." 

"Why should I trust you Tin? You gonna snitch on me like your ordered to. I read that stupid manual, cover to cover, page to page. I know what protocol is." Tin lightly nudged him back, "no...I know your not gonna run because you know if you do, she's gonna be dead and gone long before you get back...now. Calm down, get some cider and join us for a few cards, it'll put your mind at ease."

Arthur grumbled and threw a light temper-tantrum as he put away his things. "Ten bits says he's frustrated." Everyone just looked at Joker, "I mean in a sexual manner." They merely rolled his eyes at him, "come on. I'm serious. Ten bits, says he'll sleep with someone." 

They all chuckled, "alright...I see your ten and raise you twenty." Toll wanted in, "I got fifty." Jade lightly smirked, "two hundred bits says I get him to sleep with me." The rest of the table was, kind of in shock. 

"I...I thought you were engaged Jade," Tin suggested as he threw a few more bits into the pile. "Fuck that loser. I mean, he's nice and all...but he's just to soft for me." 

Toll said, "and you think Artie isn't." Jade lightly shrugged. "I mean...so what if the colt killed a couple ponies. Big whoop. You don't see me getting tail for that do you?" Toll complained. "You get enough tail as it is, Toll," Joker chuckling as he refilled every ponies cider. "So," Jade continued, "is the bet still on?" They all nodded their heads.

Arthur walked back in, looking a bit calmer. "So...what are we playing? 21? Black Jack, Texas Hold'em-" Tin politely shushed him. "Yes. We're playing 21. Ante is three bits."