//------------------------------// // Casino Craziness // Story: Family Relics: Adventures of the Past and Present // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Casino Craziness "North Star!" The Srceean floor manager called out, hitting a call button back to the bunny's den. "Cocktail to the minotaur at the roulette wheel, and a hard cider to the Brown griffin at the slot machines. Pronto!" "Yes, sir." The Pink Pegasus responded through clenched teeth, loading the tray of drinks onto her one wing. and a tray full of martinis on the other to balance it out. Pushing her way out the swinging casino door, she trotted out into the main lobby of the casino. "Hey there, toots!" A passing blark called out, snatching one of the martini's off the tray. "Thanks for the drink." "You're welcome, sir." She grimaced, barely holding her temper in. Trotting over to the chiming, spinning, and ringing slot machines, she walked up to the lone griffin jamming tokens in, and pulling the lever. "Your hard cider, sir." North Star kept a fake smile plastered on her face. "Please enjoy." "Thank ya, cutie!" The sleazy looking griffin declared, slapping her on the flank. "Let's hope I'm lucky enough ta score tonight, eh?" The mare's eyes went wide, and she was barely able to contain her scowl. "Y-yes sir." She replied, trotting away shaking. The fishnet stockings, her tail tied up in a bun, the outfit whose backside cut rode up her flank... North Star hated every day of this past week, putting up with the sleaziest bunch of scumbags groping, squeezing, and grabbing her in ways she considered undignified. As she made her way across the room, she noticed Firefly trotting up to her. "Hey, haven't seen you in awhile." The other pink Pegasus whispered, holding two trays of refreshments balanced on her wings. "Heard anything on the dig site yet?" "No, and I'm about ready to bloomin' throttle you if we don't get something soon!" The other mare snorted, barely keeping her voice below and audible whisper. "What were you bloody thinking, volunteering us to be cocktail floozies!" "Hey now, there's nothing wrong with being a waitress. I was one myself, back in the day." Firefly replied with a smile. "At least you're not as whiny as Galaxy was, when she and I worked here." "You- you brought Galaxy here to work as a cocktail bunny?!" North Star almost led out a squeak. "Were you out of your bloomin' mind?!" "It was an undercover mission for the queen, got stuck wearin' these same outfits every night and everything." The Pegasus chuckled, remembering the pink unicorn angrily levitating a drink tray from table to table "She even had a month-long fling with a saddle arabian stallion bouncer, just to keep the perverts away," "You had better hope we're not stuck here for that long!" The irritated mare hissed. "Or I'll be sendin you on a one-way trip to the bloomin' glue factory!" The two mares trotted over to the roulette table, where gamblers of several races placed their bets. The impatient minotaur who had been waiting on North Star angrily grabbed his cocktail. "Bout time you got here!" He snapped, downing the drink in one gulp. "I ordered this thing a half n hour ago!" "I'm sorry sir." She apologized timidly. "I assure you, it won't happen again." "Better not." He snapped before turning back to the table. At the very center of the wheel, stood a well groomed screean with a monocle, with several bejeweled females surrounding him. Putting his chips down, the Minotaur looked up at the cocky looking bird. "Now as I was saying, Prince Fleetfoot." The horned beast snorted. "What's this I hear about some pony from the north, comin' down here and digging around in your tribe's desert?" Both mares ears perked up at that. "Ah, you have kept track of the rumors, very perceptive." The arrogant prince complimented the minotaur. "But I'm sorry, I can't discuss such important political matters in such a public setting." "Would you care for a drink, your majesty?" Firefly said beguilingly, batting her eyelashes. "Please, help yourself." "Why thank you my dear." He replied politely, taking one of the cocktails from the tray on her wing. "You are far too kind." North Star caught on almost immediately. "Here, your Excellency," She encouraged, offering him a second drink as soon as he had drunk the first. "Have another!" It didn't take long for the dirty bird to become inebriated. And while the ambassador did not realize the two bunny mare's intent, he knew an opportunity when he saw one. "You highness, if I may suggest a wager?" The minotaur spoke up, hiding his wan smile. "All my chips on this next wheel spin, for, say... the location of that dig in the desert?" "Sure *hic* why not?" The inebriated screean replied. Turning to the croupier operating the wheel, he declared. "Twenty-four." "Eight." The horned monster replied, as the croupier spun the wheel. The marble bounced all around the wheel, the eyes of both mares on the sphere as it jumped from number to number. Reaching deep inside herself, North Star closed her eyes, and used a small burst of a Pegasus's long dormant weather control power to create a small burst of air under the marble. The white sphere landed neatly on the eight, even as the wheel came to a stop. "We have a winner!" The Screean croupier, called out. "Lucky eight!" "No fair!" Fleetfoot protested, barely staying on his feet. "You must've cheated!" "Really? I don't see any unicorns or mages around here." The minotaur chided him, looking around mockingly. "You lost, your highness. Time to pay up." "Oh, all right." The disgruntled bird replied with a scowl. "The pony archaeologist is digging for some kind of artifact in the western sands, near the Penna pyramid complex." As the crowd at the table chortled and talked amongst themselves, none of them saw two mares quietly making their way towards the back. "Not bad with that air trick back there, North." Firefly said with a smile. "I didn't think you had it in ya." "What can I say? I guess I still do have a little wind under my wings." The other Pegasus replied, giggling. "at lest we know where we need to go, now." "Hey there ladies *hic*" The now-inebriated griffin from the slot machines wandered over, slapping them both on the flanks. "How's about each of you get me another drink, and then I'll share some of my winnings with ya, say, back in my room?" It was much to his surprise, that the griffin quickly found himself lying in the casino fountain outside, his tokens floating all around him. "Hey, what the heck happened?"