Beer and Cards
"Sin! Put me down!" Spike complained from ontop of Sin's back. The drake was the victim of a plot conspired between his mentor and mother and was now being taken to unknown whereabouts.
Sin shook his head as he walked through the overcast afternoon market district to the Applefarm. "No, you've been brooding around the library for the past three days. Sparkle's worried about you, I'm worried about you, and since you aren't willing to get out of this of your own accord, than it's who of me to give you a nudge in the right direction."
"This isn't a nudge! You're taking me against my will you hypocrite!" Sin nodded his head, it was hypocritical and he knew it, but the dragon did nothing but mope and go for depressing walks. He'd completely forgone any and all will to get out and do anything despite his capability to do so, and if left to stew for too long, he knew what may eventually happen. He'd lost one friend to suicide before and wasn't about to let it happen again.
"You'll thank me later."
Spike scowled and continued to struggle feebly against his bindings, eyeing the ponies who passed by for help, but none was to be had. Everyone of them simply looked away and went about their lives. "Where are you taking me?"
Sin chuckled, happy to see Spke showing more life now than he did in days and informed the drake they were going to spend some time with Macintosh and Shade. Get the old gang back together for some male time. He needed to de-stress just as much as Spike did. Between his session with Rainbow Dash, fighting the grizzly bear he affectionately named: "Killer", trying to do his part in helping Fluttershy get passed her stage fright (which was starting to show signs of promise) and his new job(?) at the mayor's office, he too was ready to crawl in a corner and wait to die.
Twilight was reluctant to help him with his plan, as was Mac when he'd brought it up to them. They'd argued that three days wasn't enough time to cope with what had happened to the poor baby, but Sin disagreed. He didn't just have three days, he had damn near a month. He knew something happened that made the ordeal all too real for Spike a couple of days ago, but it was time to take a step for his own good.
Sitting back and doing the whole "let him come to you when ready to talk" thing wasn't working out, so Sin decided, for better or for worse, he'd enact a more progressive and active method of therapy.
The drake complained the entire way to the farm, struggling and demanding release the entire way with Sin grinding his teeth to keep quiet. Finally they'd reached the farm house and were greeted by a smiling Macintosh. "He don't look too happy to be here." The stallion said solemnly.
When Sin had visited about the plan, he was informed about what had made Applejack act the way she did. The idea of forcing someone against their will into such intimacy made Sin fume. While he wasn't one to advocate government interfearence, he did encourage and ask if a report was filed. Such a thing would send any brother into a murderous rage. Happily there was, and he'd recieved a personal letter from Celestia that the Wonderbolt would pay for his crime.
"If he was, would I have had him tied up?" Sin snarked. Mac shook his head and invited them inside. His sisters and Grandmother would be out for the day. Granny and Applejack transporting an order that would take them till tomorrow to get back, and Applebloom having a sleep over at Sweetie Bell's with Scootaloo. They were free with the house for the night.
"Shade in yet?"
"Eyup, he's already at the table."
"Got the Liquor?"
Mac pressed his lips, he was anything but happy about what his friend had suggested in order to help the dragon with his problems. A night out with the guys was one thing, forcing said friend against his will was another, but alcohol to a minor? That he had serious reservations about. Sin argued that Spike needed to loosen up though, that the entire endeavor would be completely useless if the dragon didn't want to have a good time. It was manipulative, it was immoral, and it was outright illegal. But it was the best Sin could come up with. Mac wasn't sure why his friend was so adiment about Spike's drinking, but he could tell that whatever it was haunted the Federalist something fierce.
He nodded and pointed to a few bottles of malt beer and fire whiskey on the kitchen table next to Shade, who was happily munching in apples like there was no tomorrow.
Spike perked up at the idea of drinking, he was obviously nervous, but Sin could see the curious and excited twinkle in his eye. "You're going to let me have beer?"
Smirking, Sin nodded, pleased to see his plan coming together. He wasn't going to let Spike get black out intoxicated, but he was going to give him enough to get the happy flowing again.
Shade greeted the drake and his friends with his new laid back attitude. Sin was happy enough that he wasn't hippy laid back now as he feared, but it still wasn't the Star Shade he remembered.
"So, dragon boy's gettin' his first bit of the creature, huh? You're in for a treat." Shade beamed as Sin began shuffling a deck of cards and Mac gathered up the snacks and booze.
"He's about to become an adult, for sure." Sin smiled placing the deck down and undoing the knot with his teeth. Spike was enticed enough now that he wouldn't run. "Take a seat."
The three ponies and single drake sat around the circular table. Sin dealt out the cards with a practiced hoof and Macintosh distributed the drinks, halting only momentarily before giving some of the malt to Spike. Shade immediately popped the cap off the dark glass bottle with his teeth and vigorously chugged the entire thing in one go. "Ahhhh. Discord, that taste good."
"You don't drink it for the taste." Sin commented absently as he dealt. They'd start out simply enough, five card stud, no jokers. (Only cheaters played with jokers.) They'd bring in the chips later, this was just a practice game for some fun.
Spike knew the game, but he was too shocked by the whole situation to even think about picking up the cards. He'd never thought about something like this happening to him, at least not for a few years. Yet here he was, about to have his first beer and play cards. He lifted his remaining eye, the other still covered by a bandage, and looked at his friends; silently asking himself if all of this was for real. He finally settled on Shade and asked if the beer tasted any good.
All three of the stallions chuckled malevolently to themselves. "Yea, it's delicious."
Reaching out tentatively, the atmosphere becoming more intense and nerve wracking, he grabbed the bottle in his claw and halted at the cold and wet touch. He inspected the bottle to see it read "Apple Ale" which brought him comfort for some reason. He looked to see both Mac and Sin use the same trick Shade did, angling the bottle cap on their teeth and popping it off. He gave it a try, immediately regretting the decision.
"Heh, yea, tha' there takes some practice." Mac chuckled apologetically taking care of the bottle for him.
Once the weird feeling in his teeth had gone, Spike licked his lips and took the bottle into his claw. The entire last month of his life all but forgotten to him. All there was now was the uncomfortably heavy, but excitedly mature environment before him. It was like he was finally entering the door to adult hood, and he didn't want to let his friends down.
Sin smirked and held up his bottle. "To a night of debauchery."
The other stallions laughed and held up their bottles before guzzling them. Spike took the cue and brought the drink to his lips, took a swig and coughed and sputtered as the disgusting taste of the ale hit his tongue.
The others shared a laugh at his expense with Shade patting him on the back. "Oh Celestia that tastes horrible!"
"You don't drink it for the taste." Sin repeated as he picked up his cards, he waited nervously. If Spike took their laughing the wrong way, he'd be up and out the door, if he became curious about what they did drink it for, he'd be set for the night.
His body relaxed as the dragon took another sip and cringed only to try again. He commented on a slight warm tingle in his abdomen and Sin smiled.
He had found the feeling.
The house was quiet and pot was full. one thousand and sixty bits worth of chips lay in the middle of the table, and each of the four occupants eyed each other suspiciously. Both Sin and Spike were all in, the former throwing a few high stakes games for the sake of maintaining a fun atmosphere. The latter, on the other hand was just a bad poker player, though he was catching on.
Each of them had three beers in their system and two shots of firewhisky, save Spike who was only on his second beverage and one shot. The drake had eased up considerably, laughing through out the game whenever he won and indulging in the table bull shit talk. The dark cloud that had embedded itself over his head was no where to be seen and though he was a little drunk, he was finally feeling better.
Shade looked at Sin, trying to find any indication of the stallion's hand, though he couldn't see anything. None of them were letting on and if he upped the bid, only Mac could meet him. "Call." He growled, looking to Sin who merely tapped his hoof on the table. Mac stared him down a little bit, throwing in a few more chips and offering his own call.
Shade smirked and threw down three of a kind. Mac immediately folded at the hand, his two pair holding no chance. Sin smirked and put down a three of a kind queens, beating the sevens Shade had. The bat pony glared at his associate and Sin reached for the chips, confident in his victory and relishing in his friends playful frustrations.
"Not so fast." Spike smirked, dropping his cards to reveal a full house. "Read 'em and weep."
"Ohoooo, Spike came to play!" Mac commented loudly. Shade also put his own two bits in on the great hand and Sin could only look in awe.
"Are you serious right now?!" He groaned, leaning back in his chair and placing his hooves over his eyes. Spike chuckled mirthfully and armed all of the chips over to him.
"Better luck next time." He smiled and founded over the largest pile of chips at the table.
Sin smiled as he leaned back, he was exaggerating his emotions drastically for comedic effect. This was Spike's night, it was dedicated to the drake having a good time and he was more than willing to sacrifice a game of cards and some dignity in order to bring the drake out of his funk. That's what nights like these were about, uplifting spirits by disregarding inhibitions and just being happy and having fun.
Seeing him laugh and happy again was well worth it, but the Federalist did worry if this would only be a temporary fix. He didn't tell Twilight about the booze, he wasn't crazy or stupid enough to do that, but it was alcohol that made him feel better. Still, tonight was a step in the right direction, he'd deal with the dragon's long term when he wasn't under mind altering substances.
The game continued with Sin playing only for the fun of it. He couldn't win the pot, but he could still beat them and gain some semblance of fun and satisfaction in the better cards.
Shade and Mac had caught onto what Sin had done and slowly threw their own well timed games, eventually leaving the dragon the victory. They held a toast to the fact and each had one last shot of fire whisky for the night before departing with promises of making the card game a weekly event.
As the three of the non-apple ponies walked, it quickly became apparent that Spike had consumed a little more of the booze than Sin had intended. His body wobbling and his feet constantly crossing made him look like a drunkard, not that he had too much room to talk, his walking ability were a little impaired as well.
Shade split off with an exchange of good byes, leaving Sin and Spike to wander back to the Library on their own.
"Hey Sin?" The dragon asked, leaning on his friend for support. His eyes were glad but also grateful. "Thanks for kidnapping me, I needed that."
Sin chuckled. "Told you you'd thank me, and what are friends for?" He saw the drake's face smiling face slowly grow neutral and an all to familiar greenish white tint take his throat. "Uh oh." He turned Spike left behind a building and stood watch as the drake proceeded to empty his guts all over the alley. It was amazing, really. Sin expected Spike to throw up long before now considering all he had to drink and never touching it before.
Once done, Spike whipped off his face of the residual bile and the two eventually made it back to the library. Sin peaked his head in the window, making sure Twilight was long asleep and briefly thought about returning to the farm for the night. He hadn't thought threw what he'd do if the Librarian was still awake now, but he didn't need to think too hard to imagine her reaction to seeing her son drunk off his ass.
Hoping beyond hope that she wasn't waiting, Sin opened the door and escorted Spike in. He spoke in hushed whispers to keep the giggling dragon quiet and helped Spike to bed. He tucked the dragon in and slowly crept out of the room, careful to make no sound what so ever.
He slipped down stairs, and carefully set himself down upon his spot on the floor, laying it down and closing his eyes. His head was swimming and he took pride in his accomplishment today. Though he still did worry about the long term, he was toying around with some ideas but nothing he was willing to commit to yet.
A click and sudden brightening of the room sent shooting ice down his spine. He lifted his head and looked to the couch to find a very unhappy Twilight Sparkle sitting and glaring daggers at him.
"Fuck."