Gilda’s head bobbed gently as she listened to the smooth jazz played by the band on stage.
look all that evil, at least not physically. All she really knew was what Discord had told her. Turns out this Garble fellow tried to harm Spike, Twilight’s little assistant.
Pfff, evil? Yeah right. Oh look at me, I can breathe fire and swim in lava.
A quick cough brought her attention back to the matter at hand as the teen drummed his claw on the bar rather impatiently. “Hello!”
Gilda smirked while idly sauntering over to him. “No need to shout, my hearing is just fine,” she replied idly with her usual snark. “What do you want?”
“Gems, like I said the first time.”
“Hmm, from how growly you say that, I’d swear you were a diamond dog in disguise.” She watched as one of the diamond dog’s ears swiveled to listen in at the mere mention of their race.
Oh, this should be good.
“Hey, I’m no mutt.” Garble snarled back, balling up his fist.
“Hey, who you calling a mutt!”
The diamond dog that was listening in lept out of his seat and landed near the bar with teeth bared, as sharp as the dragon’s.
Gilda had just enough time to notice Discord sitting on his upside down bar stool, munching away on a pawful of popcorn and watching the sight unfold. Popcorn in the claws of a draconequus only meant two things, and given there was no movie planned for tonight, there was only one conclusion. A fight was about to happen.
Grable stared back at the dog, thinking he was more than a match for the squat canine. He even felt confident enough to trash talk his opponent. “Well you of course, what is that a flea collar?” He mocked with a chuckle.
The dog rose from a four-legged stance to his full height, now being just as tall as Garble. “Hey! this was given to me by my mom!”
"Oh, so I guess I can say that your mom dresses you funny, too."
With an enraged snarl, the dog lunged at Garble, slamming a massive paw into the dragon’s chest and sending him flying across the room. A raucous din of braying howls filled the air as the other dogs voiced their approval of the fight.
Garble came down a second later, bouncing off the floor and into a table. The impact caused Sombra’s just completed house of cards to come crashing down.
Everyone in the bar fell silent, and the brothers on stage stopped playing. Gilda hissed. The ex-king had spent the better part of three hours carefully crafting a magnificent spire, only for it to topple in a second. The griffon swore she saw a single tear run out his eye and down his cheek, before they burst back into their usual demonic glow.
They were also smoking.
“Think that’s really funny, don’t ya,” He leered down at the dragon sprawled on the floor.
Grable meeped, his eyes shrinking to dots as all the fight was taken out of him just by glancing into Sombra’s deadly pupils. ‘H-he did it,” he quickly pointed to the dog, hoping for any kind of salvation.
Sombra showed his teeth, the sparkling white fangs emphasised by how he snarled. “Yes, but you knocked over my cards!”
The shadow pony’s horn glowed brightly as he picked up Garble with voracious speed, curling and compressing the teen into a living ball. He then dropped the oversized ball, and against all possible logic, he bounced back up into a waiting magical grasp. Sombra dribbled him a few more times, before his rumbling voice filled the hall.
“Now that my cards have fallen, I am in need of some new… entertainment.”
“Hey! we’re not through with him yet!”
The dog Garble had offended – along with the rest of the pack – galloped over to the scene with teeth bared.
Sombra stopped to consider this development. He wasn’t ready to release Garble yet, but the dogs wanted a piece of him, too…
The ex-king grinned widely. “It looks like a compromise is needed. How about a little game.”
He harshly threw Garble over towards Rover, who wound up a strong paw in anticipation. He let loose, sending the ball back where it had come, easily clearing the volleyball net that Discord had snapped into existence.
Gilda chuckled, watching the poor dragon getting punted about. Oh well, he had it coming to him anyway. The impromptu game lasted until Sombra won a best ouf ot three round. By then, Grable had managed to uncurl and had beat a hasty retreat to the exit, tail literally between his legs. Once the door slammed shut and everyone had a good laugh, the brothers began to play their music once more, returning the bar to its relatively peaceful state – at least for the time being.
Nightmare Moon brushed her bangs out of her face, and took a pull of her glass of milk. “Wasn’t that a bit much?” she asked, still smirking a little.
Discord slithered over, taking a seat while stroking his beard. “Hmm well maybe, but he wasn’t hurt or anything. Well not physically anyway. Besides, I found the act quite amusing and creative.”
From the mare’s washroom, a persistent Trixie leaned out the door, dragging along a trail of toilet paper that was stuck to her forehoof. “Trixie came up with that first!”
A few chuckled as Discord rolled his eyes. With another snap of his fingers, Discord slammed the door against the showmare, sending her back into the washroom like a pinball. “Hey!” A loud crash was heard, followed by a flush.
Nightmare chuckled again. “Why do you let her stay here?”
Discord shrugged. “Well because she’s causing chaos in here. What fun is there in peaceful nights anyway.”
“Wouldn’t hurt if there was.” Gilda mumbled under her breath as she exchanged a full glass of love for a few golden bits.
“Oh hush you, you’re just as much a goody goody as Trixie.” Discord teased.
“Yeah whatever. I just like the bits.” She flipped one with her talon, the coin landing on heads as it hit the counter top.
“That’s not the point,” he facepalmed. “Oh nevermind.” He got up, quickly heading for the washroom.
Discord snapped up a party hat for no apparent reason, setting it upon his head. “Oh by the way, I decided to invite one of my old pals over today.”
Gilda blinked, leaning against the countertop. ‘Oh, you’re not bringing Medusa over again, are you? Last time, she got everyone stoned.”
Somewhere by the stage, a changeling did a rimshot, snickering.
Discord waved his paw in the air. “Oh no, someone else. Murphy should be here any moment.”
Sombra and a few others gasped audibly, and the music on stage screamed to a halt.
“Not him! anyone but him!” Chrysalis ducked under the table, pulling a random changeling into a hug for protection. Her juttering of the table legs caused Sombra’s two layered house of cards to come crashing down again.
Discord chuckled ‘Oh come now, you’re all overreacting.” He rolled his eyes while looking at the door.
“you’re kidding, you’re kidding, right?” Nightmare asked while rapidly downing her glass.
Gilda raised an eyebrow, having never seen or heard of this named creature before. “Who’s Murphy?”
Before Discord could answer however, the main door squealed open, revealing a tall bipedal creature, his body obscured by the dark blue cloak draped over him. The shoulders were decorated in golden lines swirling about in the light. The room remained eerily quiet as he walked further inside, staring left and right at the dwellers.
If one were to look straight at him, they would see no face to be found, for his body was black smoke held together by unknown means. the void constantly shifted with grays and black as two crimson red lizard eyes watched from within. With no physical body, his feet made no noise, the only sound to be heard being his dog trailing behind, panting happily.
Discord looked down at the rather tiny dog Murphy had brought. It was adorable to be sure Fluttershy no doubt would have wanted to pet it all day.
Murphy let out a cough and glanced at Discord with his mute expression. “Gosh Discord, I feel so welcome,” he rolled his eyes seeing every creature giving him a cautious glance before sitting down at the bar.
“Them? Oh, they are just overreacting.” He glanced back at the tables seeing Chrysalis still hiding. “Pfft. And you call yourself a queen.”
Flim began a gentle piano beat to fill the odd silence that had befallen the bar. Eventually, the rest of the customers settled back into whatever they were doing before. A lamp randomly fell over a moment later, knocking out a diamond dog.
Gilda poured Murphy a glass of ice water. “So why’s everyone so skittish around you? Other than the fact you look like death,” she seemed rather unaffected by the appearance or at least showed none on the outside.
“I’m true chaos, my dear,” he replied with a deep gravely voice that came from within his non moving void under the cloak. “I’m neither good nor evil, but ponies tend to think of me as bad luck.” His drink vanished upon contact with an unseen mouth, turning into vapour. “Have you ever heard of Murphy’s law?”
‘Sort of, although what a strange phrase.”
“Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong,” he laughed. “it’s all about… perspective.” He gestured with a flick of his cloak towards the dog that had been knocked out just mere moments before. Rover looked quickly around, and when he thought no one was watching, snatched the dog bisket from the others pocket.
Gilda drummed her talons, giving a blank look in return. “I don’t get it. They do that all the time.”
“Yes, but was it bad luck or good?”
Discord chuckled as he watched Gilda work her beak up and down as she struggled to find an answer. At the same time, a bug just happened to fly into her mouth.
“Gah! bug.” she coughed, quickly rushing off to get a drink. Murphy let out a snicker before lifting his dog to his lap, gently petting with his hand.
Discord smiled while watching the critter pant happily. “So what’s the puppy's name?”
“Karma,” he simply replied, continuing to pet his pup.
Unbeknownst to the two, Gilda had returned, suddenly commenting from the blue. “Isn’t Karma a b–”
Discord shushed Gilda by quickly putting a claw up to her beak. “Hush! Do you want this story to be set to teen?”
“Quiet!”
Murphy chuckled, amused by the phrase. “Oh come now, it’s true she’s the cutest little bitch. Yes she is.” Karma barked happily.
“Gah.” Discord peeked into a book for a short while before coming out. “Okay we’re safe for now. Phew!”
Gilda just looked at him confused. “You’re as random as Pinkie Pie sometimes.”
Discord laughed again as Trixie ran up groaning angrily. ‘That was the joke? that’s not even that funny.”
Murphy looked back at the unicorn, confused. “Joke? whatever do you mean?” If he had a mouth, he would have smirked.
Trixie humphed and turned walking towards the door, unaware of the bar of soap she was heading for. Discord opened the door with a wave of his hand just as the great and klutzy Trixie stepped on the bar and began sliding uncontrollably towards the door. She let out a screech as she flew down the aisle, unable to stop. With one last ditch effort, she grabbed the doorknob with her hooves only to cause it to slam behind her when she left.
Karma could only watch as the vibrations ran across the floor, jingling the table Sombra had moved to. His eye began to twitch as his carefully placed layer came down once more. With the fury of a tiger, he flipped the table over in a rage – flinging his forehooves into the air and falling to his haunches.
“WHY!!!”