Sweetie Belle: Blackjack Dealer. Yay!

by RaylanKrios


A man, a plan, a casino

“And so it is with great pleasure that I introduce Mr. Royal Flush to break ground on Ponyville’s newest attraction, The Lucky Horseshoe Casino!”

There was a smattering of polite applause from the assembled ponies. Yes, the town needed the money to clean up after Tirek’s rampage, and apparently it was either legalize gambling or face a massive property tax hike, but that didn’t mean the simple pony folk that lived in Ponyville had to be excited about the idea of a casino opening up in their sleepy little hamlet.

It wasn’t that they minded the idea of a casino per se. A place to play some cards, maybe catch a show and enjoy an all-you-can-eat three bit buffet sounded great. But everpony also knew that with a casino came unsavory elements. Ponies lived in Ponyville to get away from the harsh lights and problems of the bigger cities like Manehattan and Fillydelphia. Having a Casino in town would just invite “mares of the evening” and organized crime to take up residence, not to mention probably cause a few more alcoholics and gambling addictions amongst the more suggestible members of the populace.

“I know what you are all thinking,” a white stallion with a red mane said with a smile as he took over the mayors spot behind the lectern. “You’re thinking that if we let this big city stallion build his casino here, soon we’ll be having all sorts of big city problems. Well I’m here to tell you that the Lucky Horseshoe Casino is not going to have any of that malarkey. No sir, The Lucky Horseshoe Casino is going to be a place for good ol’ wholesome family entertainment. So, I’m pleased to be breaking ground right here in Ponyville, and I’ll hope you’ll all come out to visit us when we open the doors in a few weeks.

There was another polite smattering of applause and then the crowd dispersed, except for one little filly who stayed rooted right where she was.

Ever since Sweetie Belle had wandered past the groundbreaking ceremony, she had an uncontrollable itch. No, not that kind of itch, she had already had that talk with Rarity. No, this was more like a gentle tingling in her horn. It didn’t forcibly drag her to the casino, but it did nudge her in that direction. Remembering Rarity’s story about how she found her cutie mark, she knew what she had to do.

“Okay so I’ve got three kings and two sixes, what’s that? A crowded stable?” Applebloom asked.

“No, it’s a full house, and I win because I have a straight flush, which is better than a flush and a straight.” Sweetie Belle said confidently.

“My parents say everyone should be allowed to get married,” Scootaloo chimed in, eager to stop talking about stupid, arbitrary rules.

“No Scoots, not that kind of straight.”

“Ugh forget it Sweetie, ah can’t keep all these rules in mah head; straight beats flush unless it’s a straight flush, and what the hay is a royal flush?”Applebloom said, throwing her cards down in frustration. They had been playing cards for a while now in the hopes of getting good enough to work at the casino, and so far all they had managed to do was make Scootaloo bored and Applebloom confused.

“He’s the casino owner. Do you think he has a marefriend? Maybe we can set him up with Miss Cheerilee.” Scootaloo chimed in again, seeing another opportunity to change the subject.

“No, it’s flush beats straight. C’mon guys we can do this. It’ll be fun.” Sweetie’s high pitched voice implored.

“Sweetie, we are not going to be Cutie Mark Crusader casino employees; it’s sooo boring,” Scootaloo replied, rolling her eyes.

“Scoots is right, ain't no way they’d hire us. We’re fillies, we can’t go to a casino much less work at one.” said Applebloom.

Her idea on the verge of being shot down by both of her friends, she tried appealing to Scootaloo first. “I’ll bet Rainbow Dash will hang out at the casino a lot. She seems like she would like gambling.”

“Well if Rainbow Dash-”

“Rainbow Dash ain’t going to be at the casino, Scoots! And Sweetie, you should know better than to get her hopes up. We ain’t doin this. We play games all the time and it hasn’t gotten us cutie marks yet. Why would this be any different?”

“Sorry Sweetie Belle, Applebloom’s right. I don’t want to do this either. We should think of a different idea.”

“But you guys, I’m sure this is going to be my special talent. You have to do this with me,” Sweetie Belle pleaded.

“No we don’t. Y’all didn’t come with me when I wanted to try Cutie Mark Crusaders cliff divers, so I don’t have to do this,” said Scootaloo with more than a trace of indignation.

“Ah don’t think working at a casino’s going to be your talent, Sweetie. I don’t care what kind of horn mumbo-jumbo ya got goin on,” said Applebloom

“Well fine, be that way. I’m going to the Casino. So there!” Sweetie Belle said before she stormed out of the clubhouse.

Back at the temporary offices of The Lucky Horseshoe in a trailer on the barren plot of land that would soon be the casino, Royal Flush was talking to his assistant.

“I meant what I said, Temperance.”

“Yes Mr. Flush.” came the flat reply of the beige coated mare.

“My casino is going to be good ol’ wholesome family entertainment, the kind of place you’d feel good about bringing your kids or your mom to.”

“Yes Mr. Flush.”

“Not like the last time in Las Pegasus. Have we sent out apology bouquets to all those families yet?”

“Yes Mr. Flush.”

Before he could continue, his plans were interrupted by a gentle knock on his door. Surprised, he carefully opened it only to see an adorable unicorn filly staring up at him. Before he could suggest that maybe she was in the wrong place, the filly began to speak.

“Hi Mr. Flush. My name is Sweetie Belle, and I’d like to work at your casino.”

Both ponies just stared at the young, wide-eyed unicorn standing in front of them. She took their silence as her cue to continue her sales pitch. “I know how to play poker and blackjack, and everyone says I’m real friendly, and please, Mr. Flush, I promise I’ll do a good job if you just give me a chance. I don’t have my cutie mark yet, and I’m just sure I’ll get it working here. Pleeeease!”

The casino owner looked down at the filly pleading with him with those wide, earnest, green eyes. How could anypony say no to that face? A wide smile began to form on Royal Flushe's lips as an idea began to coalesce in his head. Not only could nopony say no to that face, nopony could possibly do anything even the slightest bit tawdry with such a sweet looking filly around. He looked down at Sweetie Belle with the biggest grin she had ever seen. “Why, Sweetie Belle, I think you are exactly what this casino needs!”