“Fold.” Vinyl said with finality.
“UGH!” Lyra yelled, throwing her cards into the air. “Five hooves! FIVE! And all you five ever do is fold! I’ve had great cards and never even got to use them!”
The other five mares looked around at each other, then turned back to Lyra and said as one “Because you have the worst poker face in Equestria.”
“We’ve told you that every game.” Berry said as she shuffled the deck.
“But… I’ve gotten better, right?” Lyra asked hopefully. The tabled looks said otherwise.
“Look, just… anytime you get a good or bad hand, just make a different face or something,” Midnight said.
Lyra nodded and took the cards Berry was passing out. Immediately the sea-foam colored unicorn twisted her face into what only could be described as being constipated. Hilarity ensued, which only increased when Vinyl fell over laughing.
“What?” Lyra asked.
“N-N-Nothing!” Sapphire panted out. “J-Just… just make it a little more subtle.”
Lyra pulled her tongue back in. “Like this?”
“B-Better.”
Slowly the rest of the group collected themselves and allowed the game to continue.
“So, before… that happened,” chuckles still went up around the table, “you said your parents visited over the weekend Sapphire?” Berry asked. “Raise one.”
“Yes, they did. See.”
“They seemed nice,” Derpy said, placing a chip down. “See.”
“They are, but I’m sorry if I seemed a bit frazzled when we ran into you; my mom has a way of pushing my buttons.”
“Ooo, what kind of buttons?” Vinyl asked as she raised them one.
“Just silly things like how I should have a special somepony by now. Nothing really juicy.”
Vinyl’s jaw dropped slightly. “That is like… the JUICIEST thing ANYPONY could talk about! Alright, spill; you like somepony and you didn’t want to tell her!”
It was Sapphire’s turn to drop her jaw. “I DO NOT!”
“Ssssuuurre,” Vinyl said, a cheshire grin adorning her face.
“I don’t believe I’m having this conversation again.” Sapphire planted her face in her hooves.
“Vinyl stop it. We’re here to play poker,” Midnight said tersely.
“Aw, lighten up, I was only pulling her leg. It’s fine if she doesn’t like anypony that way.”
Berry discarded three cards. “How was it otherwise?”
“It was alright I guess. We went out for dinner and I got to spend some alone time with my dad.”
“How did the rest of you take it?” Lyra asked, picking up two cards.
“I was… fine. Ruby gave Squeaks a good scare when they first arrived, and so Squeaks avoided her as much as she could for the rest of their visit.” Midnight picked up two cards.
"Poor thing," Berry said. "Raise two. You know, speaking of visits, I still can't believe Princess Celestia came down to visit again. I think she's been down to Ponyville more than any other place in the past year."
Midnight shrugged. "Well, we've got her apprentice here, as well as the other Element bearers, so maybe she just has a better reason to visit so often."
"You know, speaking of Twilight as Celestia's student, if she's spent so much time with the princess, why was she so freaked out while she was here?" Lyra asked. "See."
"You're telling us you wouldn't be, at least, nervous?" Berry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, I would be, just not ready to go all mental about it. Makes one wonder what Twilight really saw while studying with her." Groans went up all around. "What now!?"
"Lyra, enough with the conspiracies!" Midnight groaned.
"Yeah, Celestia's cool, even if she is the Mare, mare." Vinyl said. "See."
"I bet Sapphire might know a thing or two!" Lyra pointed her hoof across the table at the blue pegasus. "She works for her after all!"
"Lyra, Sapphire is not a spy for Celestia," Berry said.
"I bet that's what she wants us to think!"
A sudden, loud growl made them all jump and they turned to see Midnight with her wings partially unfurled and her teeth showing. No extended fangs, bit the look was still intimidating. "Enough, Lyra," the kirin growled.
"Derpy?" Lyra asked, her voice trembling slightly.
The wall-eyed pegasus just smiled back at them, took a bite of her muffin and said "call." Cards dropped and the gray pegasus was pulling the pot to her side of the table, her four princesses grinning up at them just as much as their owner was.
"Okay, one more hoof and if I don't WIN-win, I'm done," Lyra huffed.
"WIN-win?" Sapphire asked. "Lyra, you actually have more bits then the rest of us from every time we folded.
"Yeah, but that's not a WIN-win! You guys all just gave up!"
"And back to square one," Midnight grumbled. "Can we change the subject again?"
"How about whatever was going on between you, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie?" Derpy offered. At Midnight's confused stare the pegasus elaborated. "You and Rainbow were dragging Pinkie through the street out to Sweet Apple Acers."
"Oh, that," Midnight picked up her cards and raised one. "It was Pinkie's birthday and we were all trying to keep it a surprise."
"Trying to keep a surprise from Pinkie Pie?" Berry asked, then whistled. "Raise one."
"I know, and she nearly got us when she was chasing Rainbow. Somehow AJ threw her off and we got it all set up in the barn. Me and Rainbow went out to get her but when we got to Sugarcube Corner..." Midnight hesitated.
"What, was she playing darts with pictures of you guys as targets or something?" Vinyl asked as she discarded two cards and picked up two more.
"She was having a party with Gummy, a bag of flour, rocks, lint, and a bucket of radishes."
"Maybe she was practicing?" Berry asked hopefully.
"She was making them talk. Like puppets," Midnight deadpanned. "And she was acting just... creepy. Thankfully Rainbow had enough within the first minute and we proceeded to carry/drag her all the way to the farm."
"And she calmed down when she saw the party you guys set up for her right?" Derpy asked. "Raise three."
Midnight nodded. "Turns out that she forgot about her own birthday because she was so excited to celebrate Gummy's twice."
Looks of disbelief went up around the table.
"That's... concerning." Berry said.
"Heh, loves to party so much she doesn't even remember her own? That's what I call dedication," Vinyl applauded. "Alright everypony, are we ending this now or playing some more?"
They all showed their cards.
"I guess that's it then," Midnight said, pulling the bits towards her.
"Good night," Lyra told them as she got up and walked out the door.
"Practice that poker face with Bon Bon," Berry called after her. "You could be a lot better next time!"
"I guess I'll see you at Rarity's tomorrow for the final fitting?" Derpy asked Midnight and Sapphire as they, too, got up.
"You know it. See you later," Midnight told her.
The gray pegasus's wings flapped happily. "We're going to the Grand Galloping Gala!"