//------------------------------//
// Revealed  
// Story: Celestia's Clandestine 
// by Ashtree and Tealove 
//------------------------------//

		"You're not serious," Tealove almost laughed as she looked at the snow laden valley below, "I haven't even played in the snow since.." (Since dad died.)
"'M serious," Big Mac grinned as he zipped up a green jacket over his turtle neck, "Gotta 'njoy it while it lasts!"
Tealove sighed and pulled her blue hat (with an adorable puff ball on the top!) further over her face to shield herself from the nipping breeze, "Okay...but if I die, you'd better find somepony to take care of my business by suing you! And you get to go down first so if it's not actually safe, you'll be the one to die. And you can't sue me because it wasn't my fault that the two of us came all the way up here to-!"
"Yep!" Big Mac cut in before Tealove got too worked up, "Now, come on."
The mare tugged at the sweater Big Mac had bought for her back at the Salt Lick City train rest stop and wished he'd chosen a thicker fabric because she was still getting horrible chills from the freezing weather. Tealove then followed Big Mac's example by fitting on a pair of black goggles then clicking all four hooves onto a pair a skis. 
"Ya' ready?"
Tealove swallowed hard. (No. Too high. Way too high. How in the hay are these skinny little planks going to support my anyways? I'm just gonna tumble down this hill and end up trapped in a giant snow ball like in the cartoons! This is insane. How mad was the pony that invented this..this sport?! I'd rather face off with Thunderclap again than break my face falling down a hill!! Okay, that was a lie.)
"Tealove? Ya ready?"
She quickly cleared her throat, "Ahem...I should say not! You are the one, kind sir, who is going down this thing first! Remember? So I don't die."
Big Mac smirked, "An' how do I know ya' aren't gonna just stay put here while I-?"
"What kind of dishonest pony do you think I am?" Tealove exclaimed in a tone that was like a quieter version of the Royal Canterlot Voice, "Kind sir, you have the worst judgments and I must protest that I get my-AHHHHH!"
In the middle of her rant, Big Mac had grabbed Tealove's hoof and pulled her off the platform, sending the two speeding across the hill's snowy surface.
"YOU HORRIBLE!" Tealove screeched as she zipped wobbly down the hill, struggling to keep balance and forcing her eyes to stay open so she could avoid the many pine trees scattered along the slant, "VILE! WRETCHED PONY! WHEN WE GET OFF OF THESE THINGS I'M GOING TO-!"
Big Mac gave the mare a friendly shove and sent Tealove sliding and screaming into a zig-zaged path that somepony before them had skied in.
"AHHHHHH!" Tealove shrieked as Big Mac laughed, gliding across the snow effortlessly, skiing circles around his friend who soon decided that it was time for revenge. 
Tealove tried to recall all she could when Big Mac had been explaining how skiing worked, then put it right to use by leaning left and shoving herself right into the stallion who'd been caught quite off guard. He stumbled back as Tealove laughed victoriously, but Big Mac almost instantly came back and zipped in front of her so quickly and so close that she was sent spinning, spraying snow everywhere. Tealove regained her control only after Big Mac came to help, and before he could get out of range, the mare skid sideways, sending a heap of snow a top the stallion.
It went back and forth all the way down the hill. Tealove shoved Big Mac, Big Mac directed Tealove so she was sent skiing right off a ledge, but Tealove took advantage to the situation by landing only inches from Big Mac and shoving him to the ground. Soon enough, the ponies realized that they'd skied down the same hill eight times, but on the ninth, Tealove decided she was too tired to give Big Mac another shove (and I was NOT admitting defeat, so don't listen to whatever story Big Mac makes up) and the two just glided down the hill, peacefully sailing along, side by side. And that's when Tealove felt something swell inside her, something she'd felt not too long ago. 
(No. I can't let myself fall in love. Never again. Ever. Not after Flare.) and when this thought came as Tealove and Big Mac were gazing at one another, smiling, Tealove's expression dampened. The stallion instantly noticed and leaned over to give the mare a gentle head butt. Tealove returned the favor with a shove.
"Come again soon!" the mare at the ski renting counter called as Big Mac an Tealove trotted toward the store's exit after returning their skis. 
"Thank you!" Tealove waved, wiping her numb nose on her sleeve, then the ponies stepped back into the cold, now facing the entrance bridge to Manehatten.
"Told ya' skiin' was faster than walkin'," Big Mac pointed out as Tealove hailed a taxi, (I almost fell off the curb though because my head suddenly felt like somepony was clenching it) then, after the cab drove them into the bustling, wintry streets of the city, the ponies hopped out and joined the crowd of lights, music and drama that filled Manehatten.
It took a while, (at least trotting is faster than trying to zip through that deadly traffic) but in about an hour, Big Mac and Tealove had weaved through the hubbub and made it to a calmer village that felt loads more homey since there were so much less ponies around. They pushed through the snow, burning shivers running down Tealove's spine, as the sun began sinking into the horizon until they reached a large log cabin with a sign hanging above the door that read 'Mozy on over to the Golden Woods Cabin! Includes Holiday discounts'. 
"Well, at least we won't go totally broke by sleeping here!" Tealove cheerfully said with a sniffle as they entered the cabin's rustic, warm lobby that had an antler chandelier (that seems wrong for some reason), walls decorated with fur canvas paintings (also seems wrong) and shelves lined with varieties of apple cider (well, at least they got something right).
"Welcome you all!" the mare bell hopper exclaimed in a horrible attempt at a southern accent, "I see ya' have mozied on down to find y'all selves a sleepin' place, am I right?"
Tealove covered her laughter with a snort, but that for some reason caused her to have a sudden head rush, "Ack! Ahem..yes! Yes we have indeed..," she squinted at a sign above the main desk that was the same as the one outside the door, then sniffled and read slowly, "Mozied on down to the Golden Woods Cabin...are you the pony in charge?"
"Well, I sure can be tuh ya' all!" the tan mare tugged off her bell hopper's cap to reveal curly locks of deep caramel color, then zipped off to stand behind the front desk, "Room fer two, I suppose? Or ya' all want a separate? Two connected?"
"Just one, thanks," Big Mac replied because Tealove was too busy trying not to laugh and ended up coughing her lungs out to stop herself. Then that led to a series of sneezes which surprisingly sent Tealove's head spinning. 
"All righty then, ya' all!" the mare cheered and slid a pair of keys across the counter, "I'm Honey Fluff by the way, and I will be here for ya' all whenever ya' all need me, so don't be afraid tuh call, ya' all!"
"Eyup," Big Mac began pushing Tealove towards the stairs, "Thank ya' a- you."
Once they reached the second floor and was sure Honey Fluff wouldn't hear them, the ponies burst out laughing, so loud and so long, it gave Tealove a headache, and only once they were done unpacking their bags did the giggles finally die off. Then Tealove started coughing again. And sneezing. And choking. And by the time Big Mac returned from asking Honey Fluff for a refill of toilet paper, Tealove had used up a whole tissue box and had a throbbing headache. 
"Uh..'re you okay?" the stallion asked as Tealove groaned on the rabbit fur couch (may I once again say-for some reason, no clue why, that seems wrong) shivering even under her sweater and beanie. (Oh, yes, dear Mac, I'm perfectly fine. Do return to enjoying that new roll of toilet paper. I'll just sit here until my head explodes and takes me out of my misery.)
Big Mac quickly trotted over when Tealove didn't reply (oblivious stallions) and after observing the situation, put forth the suggestion, "I think ya' might be sick."
(NO DER.)
The stallion quickly fetched something from his suitcase and wrapped it tightly around Tealove. It was a large quilt, apple themed and decorated with a few buttons that were stitched together to form an Apple family portrait. There was a mare and a stallion whom Tealove didn't recognize. (His parents.)
She looked up to thank him, but then one of Big Mac's hooves rose to touch her cheek, which instantly began to burn a deep scarlet.
"Ya' might have a fever," he reported, "Need more blankets?"
"Actually..could you make me some tea? The recipe is in by bag..."
"Ya' don't got one o' those instant tea packet?" Big Mac asked as he examined one of Tealove's recipe cards from her Tea Room, "Cause that'd be a lot easier."
"Pff," Tealove waved him away with a tissue, "Those phony packets aren't even half as good as actual tea..I'll make you a cup..sometime."
So Big Mac set to work brewing tea. It was a long process. Tealove had to direct his actions sometimes from on the couch and once had to scream to stop him when he was about to pour in a tablespoon of honey instead of a quarter teaspoon. The mare knew she'd have had the concoction done twenty minutes earlier than Big Mac, but every time she'd rose to her hooves to take over, the stallion would rush to sit her back on the couch, saying he had everything under control. So Big Mac made his first cup of tea.
With just the first sip, Tealove sensed that he'd added an eighth of a teaspoon too much ginger and his so called 'secret ingredient' he'd insisted on adding, no matter how much Tealove had screamed at him that it would ruin the whole thing, had also found its way into the drink. She kept her comments to herself though and gave Big Mac a smile, hoping that would make up for all of the screaming that had happened between them for the last hour.
"Thanks," Tealove whispered as Big Mac joined her on the couch and wrapped both his arms around the mare's shoulders, holding her tight. His warm breath brushed at Tealove's cheek, his soft, apple aroma filled her senses and the stallion's heart gently beat into her ear.
"Ya' need anything else?"
"No," Tealove snuggled closer to Big Mac and yawned, "I have everything I'll ever need...."

****************************************************************************************************************

(This next part is great because I was actually sleeping well for once in my life and everything felt perfect, just as it should, like my life was starting to make sense until...)
Two hooves jerked Tealove off the couch, making her scream, but then another hoof came to cover her cry. She was wide awake now, all senses on edge and Tealove was about to thrash her way free when a black, sparkling rope filled with holes was lassoed around her, clamping her limbs together and even though that rope looked like it could be easily torn, Tealove couldn't move a muscle.
And then, before she could even think, the horn on one of her three attackers burst to light and just like that, the cozy cabin room was gone and Tealove found herself in a dark, cold, spacious chamber. Her captors instantly released her and Tealove quickly jumped up (to kick some major kidnapping butt!!) but a voice from the front of the room caused her to freeze on the spot.
"Well, well, my dear old friend! It's been years! I was quite offended when you did't send me any invitations to join you for tea, but..well, I took care of this get together, so your welcome.
Tealove recognized that voice. The voice of her nightmares, the voice that haunted her for eight years, taunting her whenever she found herself alone, the voice that had the final word at their last meeting, the voice of the pony she grew to fear, but even more so to hate. The voice of Queen Chrysalis.
Tealove whipped around to face the throne and found herself screaming on the top her lungs, "RELEASE ME AT ONCE!!!!!"
"How rude," Chrysalis almost looked offended, "I didn't even bring out the crumpets yet."
(Crumpets and tea. What a stupid cliche.)
"LET ME GO NOW!!!" 
"Temper, temper," the Queen smirked at Tealove's heaving chest, red face, and the way she was suddenly staggering because of how light headed all the screaming had made her, "I brought you here for a reason and one reason only. Then I'll set you free and life will skip along as it was. Sounds good?"
Tealove was shaking with such rage, she couldn't manage to answer. Images of her parents were flashing through her mind, the scene that took place in that very room kept replaying itself over and over in her brain. It was going to drive her insane, cause her to go mad, to have no way to take out her anger and misery except by ending her own life to stop the whole thing-NO. (Mom sent me back here for a reason. She's here. What would she do? Stay calm, that's what.)
Tealove took a deep breath, suddenly feeling the weakness from her sickness seeping back into her body, and she became limp, the room was slightly spinning and at the thought of her mother, she wanted to break down.
"Why..did you bring me here?" Tealove feebly asked, trying to keep her buckling knees straight enough to stand.
Queen Chrysalis licked at her fangs and a cackle rose from her throat, "Oh, the poor filly! Don't worry, I'll make this quick so you can return to your beddy-bye time."
The older mare lit her horn to a glimmering green as her Changling assistants pressed closer to Tealove to keep her from escaping, then a jet of light flew from Chrysalis's horn to the ceiling which cracked though the room and lit up every shadow in the chamber. The black that had been behind the Queen's thrown was now taking shape, gaining color, Tealove's eyes grew wide, she screamed at the sight. Chrysalis laughed hysterically.
"Behold, Miss Clovers!" she declared, "The newest additions to my collection!!"
Three green, gooey pods were hanging from the ceiling and within each of their depths was a pony. The first, Princess Celestia, then Bon-Bon and Princess Luna, all upside down and (I assume) unconscious.
"NO!" Tealove shrieked, "BON-BON!! What have you done?!!!"
"Oh, calm down," Queen Chrysalis waved at the mare as she trotted down the row of pods, looking hungrily at each, "I haven't done much with them. Yet. But soon, soon they will be my newest sources of love, power and energy!!" she took another minute to laugh and the Changlings began to join in when-
"No!" Chrysalis suddenly screamed, "No, I laugh by myself! It's not as special if everypony does it...this is MY victory!! Ahem..anyways, I'm sure, little Love, that you're wondering how in Equestria I got a hold of these ponies!"
Tealove screamed and tried to run forward, eyes glued to Bon-Bon, but the Changlings quickly caught her and one gave her a little nip on the shoulder as a warning. The bite, though small, burned like nothing else and instantly began bleeding.
"Now, none of that," Queen Chrysalis said, "Where was I..oh yes! I got a hold of these wonderful little gems because of a pony you've learned to fear..other than me...Ringo."
"I've only heard of her once!!" Tealove growled.
"Well, now that's twice," the Queen counted, "Yes, Ringo. I know you've been in on our little alliance, Tealove, and I know your powers. A strong you've got, but you give yourself away much too easily.
"You see, Ringo and I have been working as one. To soon rule Equestria with the help of her Broke forces to..well, there isn't much overthrowing to do know that the Princesses are out of the way. All we have to do is make due with the Royal Guard-that'll be a piece of cake-and then we'll be rulers of Equestria!! And Ringo and I are bound in quite an agreement. She brings me ponies to feed off of, I continue to renew her temporary Changling powers, and you've actually met with my dear friend today. You had an information exchange with Celestia, didn't you?"
Tealove was too confused to respond.
Chrysalis rolled her eyes, "Well, you did, but how is that possible if I have the Princess, as you saw yourself in a so called 'dream'? Well, that was Ringo, using her Changling powers. She only brought you to Manehatten because that's where she rules that area's Brokes!  Hm, hm..and here comes the part where I get what I want for once..."
Tealove shifted, pained, under the restraint of the Changlings.
"Kill Ringo."
"What?!" Tealove cried, "But you're going to rule Equestria together! She made it so you could-!"
"Exactly!!" Chrysalis burst, "Ringo expects me to rule as a second hoof mare! Well, I'm the one doing most of the work, and I refuse to work under a mare such as her, so it is I how deserve the crown! ME! And you will kill Ringo, kill her with this knife!" a dagger, silver encrusted and sprinkled with jewels, was slid across the stone floor to Tealove's hooves, "I'll give you three days to do it, and if you  for some reason decide NOT to follow through" the Queen's horn glowed menacingly, "then I WILL KILL your friends!!"
Bon-Bon. The Princesses. 
"NO!" Tealove cried, "You can't! I won't-!!"
"Oh, but you will," Chrysalis sneered then flew forward until she was nose to nose with her prisoner, then she placed the beautiful dagger into a saber and began tying it Tealove's wrist. The Queen then hissed, "You will do this, Tealove Van Clovers. I'll give you some time to think about it. Until then-" the mare pulled the string so hard into a knot around Tealove's arm that it cut into her skin and began bleeding.
"I'll see you soon," Chrysalis snarled as Tealove cowered in pain, then the Queen's horn glowed once more, enveloping her victim, then, with a final zap, Tealove was sucked from the wretched place and shoved back into her cabin room with Big Mac still sound asleep on the couch.
The suddenly pressure change made Tealove's head throb, the warmth stung her cuts and as the mare tried to catch her breath, she gazed down at the dagger tied to her wrist and knew that her fate was inevitable. 

****************************************************************************************************************

“Ya’ sure you’re okay?” Big Mac asked as he and Tealove rode down Manehattan's snowy streets, the pink sun rising above the skyscraper lined horizon, the two bumping along in a carriage, each dressed their finest and seated across from each other. 
Tealove hugged herself tightly, gazing out the window emotionlessly, and let her sigh fog up the carriage window. 
“Mhm,” she nodded (for the fourth time).
She hadn’t told him about the night before. She’d told Big mac that her new injury was simply a paper cut. Big Mac said paper doesn’t cut that deep. Tealove retorted that it had been construction paper. 
“Tealove…” Big Mac began wrapping his suit coat around the mare’s shoulders, but she sharply pushed him away and snapped, 
“I’m fine.”
The stallion slowly sat back down. Tealove laid her head against the window and huffed. The rest of that ride was silent. 
When they stopped at an old, boarded up laundromat,Tealove didn’t take Big Mac’s outstretched hoof as she stepped off the carriage. Once their ride zipped out of sight, the two ponies approached the building and, following what Celestia’s notes told them (well, Celestia’s evil twin’s notes), inserted their seminar invitation into the mail slot. Then they waited.
Tealove shivered in her blue, slitted dress and pearl earrings. Most of the city’s snow had melted overnight, but there were still patches of it here and there. The mountains off in the distant were still doused in white powder, but Manehattan wasn’t one to let such things dirty their metropolis. 
The sliding of a metal lock brought Tealove’s attention back to the laundromat. The door was now ajar, looking as if it were about to break off its hinges as somepony’s eye peeked out into the open. 
“Password, please,” a young stallion’s voice said, sounding oh so proud that he was left to man the door by himself. 
Big Mac stayed silent, so Tealove scowled and replied, "To Ringo we'll ride, to the end we have lied, Broke is the only whole, power to the ponies, full."
Silence. Muttering. Shuffling of index cards (and I defiantly know what that sounds like) then the voice suddenly burst,
"Then welcome to the party!" 
The door clunked close, more locks clattered and clicked, then the entrance became clear and there on the threshold stood a long legged, scrawny, caramel stallion with blonde hair, a suit top that looked as if it'd been torn off a fairy tale prince (the giant glasses sliding down his muzzle erased every hint of love at first sight though) and a large name tag on his chest read 'ROLO'.
"Come on in!" the young stallion cheered, taking a bow but loosing his balance and tumbling to the the ground. He quickly pretended to play it off though and ended up laying on the ground while resting his head on a hoof and looked up at the guests as if everything were normal, "Ahem..come in! Breakfast is being served!"
"Thanks," Tealove took the lead, ignoring what had just happened, and trotted into a large room that was anything but what you'd expect to be in a rundown laundromat. 
The tile floor was glittering, washing machines had been covered with table clothes and were now being eaten on, clothing racks had been turned into a hanging for jugs you could tilt to pour yourself a drink, dryers had somehow been transformed into refrigerators the ponies were lined up to reach into a grab their choice of food and the whole room was lit with chandeliers that seemed to be made of pure bubbles. 
"Okay," Tealove grunted, "You got the picture?"
"Yep," Big Mac slipped the photo of the stallion that had been enclosed in Celestia's folder (I can't believe I was that close to the Broke's leader..no wonder the Princess was acting so cheesy) from hi tuxedo pocket.
"Good. So we're looking for this guy and once we do, get him to tell us where Ringo is then we'll-"
"You know!" Rolo suddenly popped up in between Big Mac and Tealove, "As the son of Ringo, I've been given the very special responsibility of manning the door!"
"Um..," Tealove glanced towards Big Mac, but then Rolo suddenly lost his balance and toppled to the floor with a crash. 
He grinned sheepishly, "he he..," then hopped to his hooves, staggering for only a moment, "Yah! I get to most important job! The job of-!"
"Goody for you!" Tealove cut in and began trotting away, but the she found herself crashing muzzle to muzzle with Rolo. 
"Do I know you?" he asked, backing Tealove into  wall with a snort as he pushed his glasses closer to his face, "You look familiar. Do I look familiar? Cause you look familiar."
"No," Tealove pushed Rolo's face away, "leave me alone."
"Are you okay?" the young stallion chirped, "Wow, you have a lot of scars..you must be tough! Did you get in a fight?"
Tealove snorted, "Yes, I got in a fight."
"Ravaging Ringo!" Rolo gasped comically, "That's so cool! Can I get in a fight? Would I win? Did you win yours? Was it fun?"	
"Yes, I won and no, you're too scrawny to fight."
"I am?" Rolo looked himself over, "Well...do you think I'd look good with muscles? I tried lifting the milk jug once," he shoved his glasses up is muzzle, "but that's pretty heavy..should I start with something easier or jump right in? I could try lifting a-!"
"Washing machine!" Tealove butted in, pushing Rolo to the side and hurrying to Big Mac's side, "Hey look, there's one over there! How about you go try that one and come back in..an hour and we'll see you later!"
Rolo gasped, his eyes grew big, "You think I could do that?"
Tealove grimaced (oh, how glorious the world would be without stallions), "Yes. You can. Now go before somepony starts using it as a table!"
"Rolo shall prevail!" the stallion cheered, flexing his (nonexistent) muscles causing his glasses to slide down his muzzle, then, after pushing them back up against his face, zipped off, "I'll make you proud!"
"Ah. Great," Tealove grumbled, then she shoved Big Mac towards the breakfast line, "Come on, let's go before some other pony decides to make me proud."
The Broke's food was actually pretty good (but I shouldn't have eaten so much. two whole mini muffins and five apple slices was overdoing it big time, especially because I wasn't in the mood to cut everything to Tea Room size). Big Mac ended up going for thirds and even Tealove took another apple slice (after Big Mac suddenly found the courage to explain which apples were the sweetest, most crispy, best for dips and the most sour. now I'm educated enough to have the best apples every time). The the ponies were ushered into the back room for the seminar.
That room was a lot less extravagant. It had a wooden floor, a bar, a stage in front of lines of chairs and some tables in the back where a few stallions were already glugging cider and playing cards. It was quiet, dim and on the stage was a brown stallions with barely any hair, wearing a gray turtle neck and-
"There he is!" Tealove hissed, "Ringo's captain..he looks a lot different than in his picture...but how're we going to talk with him if he's up there?"
"We'll haffta' wait til the seminar's done an' catch 'm afterwards," Big Mac whispered, "We could go sit in the-"
"You can do that," Tealove interrupted, "I think I'll o for a drink...I don't feel so well."
Big Mac's expression was a mix of disappointment and concern, but he simply nodded then trotted towards the audience.
Tealove sighed, feeling guilty for being glad that she was alone, then she sat herself down at the bar, ordered a raspberry lemon cider and stirred her glass absentmindedly as the seminar behind her began.
As Tealove gazed across the bar, she could almost see Flare sitting on the opposite side, looking mussed and sheepish just as he had when she first laid eyes on him. Her grip tightened on her straw at the thought. Tealove squeezed her eyes shut, forcing tears down as the whole scene played in the back of her mind, then the images shifted to when Flare and Sugar Kiss revealed their true colors...
(UGH!) Tealove shoved her cider away as one tear escaped, skipping down her cheek. (What's love that I know? Nothing! Love is nothing! I hate myself! The stupid stallion! I can't believe I ever-!"
"HEY!" somepony called from her left. 
Tealove resentfully looked back to find it was a stallion sitting at one of the card playing tables, looking red in the face, more than the other two because this one's coat was white and bulging with muscle.
(I'll just pretend I didn't-)
"We're talkin' to you, sweet cakes!" one of the white stallion's friends shouted, waving his cards at Tealove, "Come 'n' join us for a game, eh, sweets! You gonna love it!"
Tealove stifled a laugh, suddenly feeling a small weight lift from her shoulder from giggling. (Should I..?)
"Eh, if you win, ya' get some perdy sweet loot!" the second stallion, who was a tan color with brown hair, called, patting the sacks on their table that were jingling with bits, "Better doin' this than brewin' over a broken heart an' a glass o' cider, eh?"
(How'd he-?)
"We promise we'll play fair!" 
"YAH!!" the muscly white pegasus bellowed. 
Tealove laughed freely this time, "Alright...I'm coming!"
The three stallions cheered as Tealove sat at an empty seat my the large, buff pony, trying to suppress her huge grin.
"Okay, stallions," the tan stallion with a cherry cutie mark, now sitting at Tealove's left, called the others to attention, "We've gotta go easy on this here filly! We don't want her to go off feeling broke and depressed, so keep your bids to a minimum-"
"Ahhh! But Cola!" the third stallion, who was dark blue all over with an eighth note cutie mark, whined, "It's not as fun if we don't-!"
"Shut your mouth, Worthy!" the stallion called Cola elbowed his friends in the stomach, "That don't be matterin'! We'll be nice and that's that. For the mare. Eh, pretty?"
Tealove usually would have been outraged at this kind of talk, but right then for some reason, she found herself laughing.
"Eh!" she raised her hoof in approval.
"Aye, then!" Cola cheered, "Let the games begin!"
"YAAAAH!!"
Tealove had never played cards the way those stallions did. She hadn't brought any bits, but Cola was nice enough to lend her a sack just for the night. The towering pegasus that Cola and Worthy called Bulk was making it hard to play sometimes though because he often slammed his cards on the table and roared, "YAH!!", making everything jump and scatter across the floor and playing surface. Everypony laughed it off though (it was too hilarious to get mad about!!) and sometimes all four ponies would just laugh for five minutes straight. Other times for so long they forgot whose turn it was, then that would lead to Bulk screaming "YAH!!" for who knows what reason, and then everything would start all over.
"WOO!" Cola flung his almost empty cider glass into the air for a toast, "Cheers, fellows, cheers to our-I say! Why is the cider gone? Waiter! We need more cider! Waiter!!"
Tealove felt like she was about to faint, her stomach clenched from laughing so hard, but she managed to wave the bar tender ponies away and lower Cola's glass, "Dear, I think you've had a bit too much to drink tonight. How about another round then we'll get some-"
"Waiter!!!" Cola flailed his arms in the air, "Raging Ringo, what kind of service is this? Wai-!!"
"YAH!!"
Ponies in the back rows of the seminar started to look back, glaring as the four card players as they swayed with laughter, sending bits raining to the ground. Tealove saw their stares, but she didn't care. For once, she didn't.
"Eh, my dear!!" Cola flung his arm around Tealove and pulled her head close as the two continued to laugh, "I'd say this night's been the best-HIC-I seen 'n yeeeears!! Don' you...filly you are?"
A fresh fit of laughter erupted from the group and Cola swayed into Tealove with lips puckered, but the mare quickly put a hoof to his mouth and pushed him away, "You have some serious issues, dear," she snorted teasingly.
Cola swayed back into his seat looking confused, but quickly recovered and exclaimed, "You bet I do, missy!"
"Forty bits for the last round!!" Worthy shouted and placed his bits on the table.
"FIFTY!" Bulk barked with slap on the table.
"I gonna do 'm all out with 'n eighty!" Cola cheered, holding his cards high in the air.
Tealove giggled, "Um..I guess I'll do a hundred!"
"You're ON!" Bulk shouted, and then the card game began. 
Aces, hearts, queens and kings were shuffled and dueled, slapped and fanned across the table, drawn and torn (well, only when Bulk lost did he tear up the loosing cards). Tealove's mind was racing, scanning cards and bits at lightning speed, and it took her a moment to realize when it happened but-
"Gin!" Tealove exclaimed. She slapped her cards on the table and each stallion stared, frozen with shock that they'd been beat by a first timer mare. (That's right! Mare power!) 
"What-but I..!" Worthy kept looking from his cards to Tealove's and back to his as if looking for a mistake.
"How the hay-in all of Equestria!" Cola's eyes popped, but Bulk's words summed up all the stallion's feelings,
"NO!!!" 
"Yah!" Tealove tried to bellow back, but failed because she was laughing so hard. 
"YOU..DID NOT JUST!!" Bulk suddenly flipped the table, sending the others crashing to the ground, then roared and began bucking at the cards now fluttering through the air.
"Bulk!" Cola half shouted half laughed as ponies from the seminar began to gasp, "Now, now, Bulky boy, you know it was played-!"
"UNFAIR!" 
Tealove had to scramble out of the way as the raging stallion began poking holes through the hearts of every ace card he saw.
"Whats's going' on?" 
Tealove almost jumped out of her fur. It was Big Mac, watching Bulk with a furrowed brow.
"Oh, him," the mare tried to laugh, "He just..lost a little game, that's all! And now he's-"
"BULK ALWAYS WINS!" the stallion was now charging towards Tealove, nostrils flared, every muscle bulging (well, more than normal).
"LOOK OUT, HUN!" Cola's voice was barely heard over the cries from the crowd and Tealove jumped out of the way only seconds before Bulk was about to crush her to bits, but before she was out of range, her attacker had snatched the end of her blue dress with his teeth and when the mare slid to a stop, she found her dress was still in Bulk's mouth. (Oh, come on! That's my last one too!)
"Bulk, calm down!!" Worthy tried to tear the dress from his the stallion's grip, but before he could, Bulk ground the fabric between his teeth as if her were a lawn mower, then all that was left was a pile of blue flakes. (Really?! Was that necessary?!)
This time, Tealove wasn't in the mood to laugh it off.
"Bulk!!" she screamed and rose to her hooves, the whole seminar audience, including Ringo's captain, now staring, "You get over here right now and say you're sorry for all this mess and mayhem you've made because we can't tolerate this behavior over something like a little game and a-!!!"
Tealove was feeling pretty proud of herself as Bulk began to cower on the floor, but her scolding was cut off by a cry from the audience,
"Her hock!!"
Then ponies began gasping. Then Tealove froze. Her hock. Now for all to see. The Clandestine mark. 
"EVERYPONY EVACUATE!!" the captain on stage roared, "IT'S A CELESTIAN!!"
And then the whole thing turned to chaos. Ponies bolted towards the stage and burst out the back door as if Tealove was declared to have a deadly disease. Worthy was stupid enough to all of a sudden look panicked and began fleeing along with Bulk, but Cola managed to trip Worthy and pin him to the ground.
"Now, we don't be no runners!" Cola screamed into Worthy's face, "We stallions! And stallions don't leave nopony behind!!"
"TEA!" Big Mac began running towards the main room, "Come on!!" 
Tealove didn't have to be told twice. She dashed after Big Mac, also being closely followed by Cola and Worthy, and not too far behind was the Manehatten Broke's captain. 
"Why didn't ya' tell us your big secret, fluffy?" Cola yelled over the noise as the ponies burst into the main room, "I' tellin' ya', I woulda' kept it like a dog hiding a bone in a-!"
Just as Big Mac reached for the door, a stallion suddenly popped up and exclaimed, "Hey, hey, hey, guess what!! I can hold a washing machine now!!"
"Rolo, MOVE!" Tealove was about to shove the stick pony out of the way, but the five stallions burst into the room. It was the captain. And four body guards.
"Well, look who's betraying their kind," the stallion snarled, "Either that, or look at how well Celestia's agents are at hiding. GET THEM!!"
Then the whole room broke out in a flurry of fists, bucks and bloody hoof fights.
Tealove punched and bucked, slapped and flipped, more than anything relieved that Cola and Worthy were fighting against their own captain. The mare thrashed fiercely at her well dressed bodyguard opponent, but the stallion had obviously been trained for moments like that (and how much training did I get? Oh, just word from Celestia that the whole universe depended on this mission’s success. The end). 
The black suited stallion punched at Tealove’s jaw, but the mare returned his favor with a fist straight between his eyes that caused his dark sunglasses to crack in half, then he lifelessly crumpled to the floor. (Ow. My hoof.)
“Take that, ya ‘orrible bruit!” Tealove heard Cola’s voice rise above the chaos as she ran to kick Worthy’s attacker in the gut before the stallion was overtook. 
Tealove managed a small laugh as Worthy panted, “Thanks..a ton!”
“Course,” Tealove distractedly nodded and stepped over the fallen body guard, searching for Big Mac amidst the wreck of washing machines and other mechanical rubble, but then she spotted one of the Broke fighters that suddenly karate chopped a small stallion who fought back with such force and skill that it took Tealove a moment to recognize-
“Rolo!” she charged forward as Rolo punched and bucked (how the hay is he-? I thought he was a nerd!), but his little frame was shaking from such effort, couldn't hold against his opponent's for long and suddenly, the guard punched the stick figure pony to the ground with a snap.
"No!" Tealove quickly bucked the attacker in the skull and, sending him to the ground with a sickening crack.
"Rolo!" Tealove looked into the stallion's cracked glasses, but he gave no signs of life, "Rolo, wake up!! You have to get up-move!" she was starting to loose hope as Rolo's little head lay, cradled in her hooves, his limbs unmoving, mouth slightly open "Before they do! Come on, come on....it's what buff stallions would do!!"
But still nothing happened. Tealove's lip trembled. (I'd been so mean to him..how could? He wasn't even that annoying...I can't handle another death!!!)
The mare held Rolo's head tight, trying not to break down (come on, get a hold of yourself...you barely even knew him...and yet..he knew me). Tealove put an ear to his mouth, but not one breath escaped his lips. She checked his pulse (I have no clue what I'm doing, but..could a hit in the head really kill...?), lifted his eyelids, but she couldn't tell, couldn't confirm the truth. Then Tealove found herself whispering into the stallion's ear, thinking of how bravely he'd fought, even though it'd only been for about eight minutes, she breathed, "You're...the strongest colt I know... "
The noise was increasing, the shouts and cries of pain growing louder. Tealove needed to go, to help them escape. She was just about to put down Rolo's head when she heard the smallest voice whisper, 
"You..really mean it?"
"Oh my gosh!!" 
Rolo was breathing, coughing feebly for air.
"Oh my-Sweet Celestia!!! Rolo!!!" Tealove scooped him up into the tightest hug she could manage around his tooth pick body, "Oh my gosh..you! You-I can't believe-don't you ever do that again or I'll-!" she quickly let go of the stallion to take a deep breath, "Ahem..yes. I really mean it. I think you're-"
Then it was Rolo's turn to envelop Tealove in a hug (a hug that cut into my limbs because of how bony he was, but a hug all the same). And this time, Tealove wasn't annoyed with him. 
“I was just holding my breath,” he whispered into the mare’s ear, “but...thank you. I know I’m not the strongest thing ever, but it means a lot to me to-”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!” suddenly, Cola shoved himself in between Tealove and Rolo, seeming oblivious to the fact that his muzzle was spilling blood, “Break it up, ya’ two, she’s don’t belong to ya’!”
"And I belong to-?" Tealove was about to ask what the fuss was about when she was so suddenly punched in the face that it knocked the breath right out of her lungs.
"Oh no ya don't!!!" Cola roared and almost instantly, he and Rolo tackled the Broke guard who had hit their friend. 
Tealove rose to her hooves, dazed, blinking furiously to refocus her eyes, but just as she regained her balance, she received another hit across the face. (Okay, you can hit me once, but if you dare slap me twice, I'm gonna-)
"Looks like there's nopony to save you," the Manehatten captain sneered and easily blocked the feeble buck Tealove threw at him, returning the attempt with a sock in the neck.	
Tealove choked, gagged on a sudden sourness rising in her throat, then she was hit again.
"Is this all Celestia has to offer?!" the captain laughed, "Come now, you must know at least how to-!"
He didn't get to finish his sentence though because Tealove cut off his words with one mighty buck in the chest.
The stallion staggered back, face suddenly as white as a cloud, but he recovered, now growling with anger, then tackled Tealove and pulled a knife from his sweater's neck hem.
"You dare challenge a Broke leader?" the captain was breathing hard as Tealove struggled under his weight, the stallion only giving a small wince when he was bit and kicked, "Well..I'll make sure it's your last time!!!"
Then, with a flash of silver, the captain's knife flew down Tealove's face, right over her eyelid and down her cheek. Blood rained to the floor, puddling as Tealove cried out, thrashed with pain. Her face was on fire, it was like a million paper cuts done in one place, slicing deeper and deeper each time. Her tears stung at the cut, it was as if she lost control of her body. The only thing on her mind was living. That and the fact that she was positive death was soon. 
The captain cackled, "Oh, foolish Celestian! Feel Ringo's wrath!!!"
The knife rose again, only this time above her heart, it was falling closer, Tealove shrieked a strangled, tormented cry-
"ARGH!"
A huge weight was lifted off of Tealove. (Am I dead again? Please tell me I'm-!)
"YOU DON'T MESS WITH MY TEALOVE!!!" 
It was Big Mac. He'd ripped the Broke stallion from Tealove and was now beating him with all his strength, not stopping for even a breath, raining punches on that guy like his life depended on it, and the captain had been taken by such surprise that he hadn't had the time to process what had happened, much less fight back. Soon the captain was twitching on the ground, groaning with pain and anguish, then Big Mac rushed to Tealove and hoisted her on his back.
"WE'LL KEEP 'EM OFF FOR YA'!" Cola roared, "JUST RUN!!"
"No..," Tealove's guilt driven objection was drowned out by the shouts and cries that erupted from the laundromat as Worthy, Rolo and Cola continued the fight, but at the sound of Cola's cry, two body guards abandoned the chaos and bolted towards the Celestians.
"RUN!"
And with a shower of wood and rusty nails, Big Mac burst from the building and began his rampage through the bustling morning streets of the crowded city, blood flying behind as their banner that left a clear trail for their pursuers to follow, each raving for murder.