"Hey! Caramel!" Bon Bon called out, waving a hoof. She scampered across a lofty balcony of The Last Stand's spacious interior shopping plaza. "There you are, girl! Hold up!"
Lyra and Vinyl trotted briskly after her.
Rainbow Dash... flew into a pillar. Bonk! "Nnngh..." She winced, rubbing her dizzy forehead as she hovered tipsily. "Uhm... ow?"
Meanwhile, Caramel stood outside a posh dress shop. He spun about, then perked at the sight of the four mares. "Oh! Hi!" A gentle smile. "Done gambling already?"
"You would never guessed what happened, Caramel," Bon Bon said, grinning wide. She took a deep breath—
"We're rich as shit," Lyra said.
Bon Bon pouted. "Darn it!" She stomped her hoof. "I was gonna build it up all snazzy'n'stuff!"
"Uhhhhhhh..." Caramel's nose scrunched. "I'm confused."
"Bon Bon and Lyra won a bunch of bits," Vinyl explained. "And in a remarkable show of intelligence, they decided to settle on their winnings."
"Figured we share the two thousand bits between the five of us!" Bon Bon grinned. "That means four hundred apiece to splurge!"
"Wow..." Caramel's muzzle hung agape. "You... you're serious?"
"Happy Hearth's Warming, girl!" Bon Bon said, giggling. "It may not be enough to treat yourself like a princess, but it c-can't hurt!"
"Bon Bon and I are gonna share our earnings," Lyra said with a wink. "Get rotten drunk and moist."
Bon Bon blinked. "We are?"
"This... this is really awesome, gals." Caramel turned to smile at the shop. "And... really snazzy timing too."
"Oh?" Rainbow Dash floated over, blinking one eye after the other. She wobbled in midair. "What's the snazzining?"
Caramel squinted. "Is... Rainbow drunk?"
"She's going for the world record," Lyra droned. "A real good start if you ask me."
"I'm... I'm good..." Rainbow waved a hoof, smiling thinly. "Just... a little f-fuzzy." She fought a hiccup. "So what's with the dress hut?"
"Well... I was looking at some really glamorous numbers. Just... y'know... fantasizing for a year or two from now when I'm..." Caramel gulped. "Eh... just daydreaming."
"Daydreaming my plush peach flank!" Bon Bon frowned, stomping her hoof again. "This is your opportunity to treat yourself to something pretty and you deserve it!"
"Yesh..." Rainbow Dash veered. "Totally served it..."
Vinyl steadied the pegasus, then glanced over at Caramel. "Think of it as a reward for when you come out of your operation."
"That could be years from now."
"There's your problem right there," Vinyl said. "Thinking of everything in the future tense! Seize what's ahead of you. Have faith."
Caramel sighed. At last, he smiled. "You're all so very, very swell."
"I'm swelling alright," Rainbow murmured, rubbing her head.
"But... uhm..." Caramel cleared his throat. "It's a really conservative place..."
"Yeah?" Bon Bon blinked. "So?"
"Erm... what I mean is... eheh..." Caramel fidgeted. "The dressing rooms are for mares only. So... probably best that I just store the bits away for when I can shop here for real."
Lyra tapped her chin in thought.
"Uhm..." Rainbow Dash kept her bleary eyes locked on Caramel. Meanwhile, she floated sideways and murmured something in Lyra's ears.
Lyra blinked, then glanced aside. "You really are pissed drunk, aren't you?"
"Mrmmmf..." Rainbow shrugged. "Just thought it might be a good idea."
"It's a damn good idea! That's my point!" Lyra smirked. "Alright, girl. Lead us inside."
Caramel blinked. "Huh?"
"Rainbow just thought up the best way to lend you a hoof. We're not about to leave you hanging—even if nature is. Now lead the way!"