My Little Noir

by Colt in the Moon

A Night at Club Velvet Pt.1

I’ve never been to Club Velvet, but I’ve heard it’s actually a legitimate business. It just so happens that a criminal named Fyre has pegged it as his personal hangout.

Fyre has clawed his way up the totem pole in the criminal underworld. But while he has his own gang, and some decent ruthlessness, he doesn’t have the respect he thinks he deserves.

I have a bit of a vendetta against him because even though he’s a criminal, he’s no Bunnie; meaning that when I couldn’t catch him the last time, it was like getting an ‘F’ on a test in school. I bet that little twerp has been pretty proud of himself since then.

“Well prepare to be taken down a peg, punk.” I thought to myself.

Club Velvet was in my sight. It had opened up a few hours ago, so the place was packed. Ponies of all kind were coming in and out like clockwork. The building itself was pretty fastuous. There were advertisements for what were inside on the widows, and a big lit-up sign that read “CLUB VELVET” was on top the front entrance.

The inside was a bit classier. There were round, black club chairs at every table. The round tables had one lone candle in the center of it. Right at the end of the club was a giant stage for nightly performances. Most of the things in the room, like the walls, curtains, and lampshades, were red. And while the smell of cigars and knowing Fyre was here were present, Club Velvet had a very lively feel to it. Ponies were talking and laughing, playing cards, drinking, the band was playing, and there was a whisper going around that the stage would soon have a singer on it.

I hastily scanned the room for my dragon target. I spotted him at a table in the far corner. He was laughing it up with two other ponies, who were presumably two of his henchponies. One had white fur with a spiked back orange mane. The other had brown fur and a long black mane. They didn’t look too tough.

“Nice night isn’t it?” I asked as I pulled up a chair. All eyes at the table were on me then. The laughing had stopped, but Fyre continued to smirk.

“Beautiful,” he slithered. “Now what brings you here Bullet, business or pleasure?”

“Business, but it would be a pleasure to take you down”.

That got a bit of a chuckle out of him. His two followers, however, remained stone-faced. Yeah, keep trying to intimidate me boys, it will work eventually.

“Have you already forgotten your bitter failure to me? Because I sure haven’t.”

“Listen you twat, Minty Fresh has been murdered, and I know you have a connection to her”.

Fyre leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, “Ah yes, Minty Fresh, the one who owed me money for several years. And you tell she has now been axed? A pity, truly a pity. Now tell me, has her wife recovered after the little scare I gave her”?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Minty’s hooves shivered with fear as she gripped her mug. It had only been a week since Tootie made her big dramatic exit, but she was still on edge. All Minty wanted to do was put her past behind her, but it kept creeping up on her. The only thing that helped her get by day after day was her wonderful wife Gumbelle.

“You’re still thinking about Tootie, aren’t you?” her wife asked.

“Heh, yeah I guess I am. I shouldn’t let it get to me though”.

Just then there was a harsh knock at the door. Gumbelle gave her wife a quick kiss on the cheek and trotted towards the door. She gingerly opened the door but didn’t see anypony; until she heard the sound of somepony clearing their throat. She craned her neck down and gasped. Staring her in the face was Fyre.

“What’s wrong,” asked a worried Minty, “Is it Tootie?”

“Much worse,” Her love replied as she side-stepped to reveal the little dragon. Minty mimicked Gumbelle and gasped.

“Minty, so good to see you,” the mobster’s voice came out as smooth as liquid. “Tell me, how have you been these days?”

“What do you want from me, Fyre?” Minty was starting to get defensive.

“Funny how you remember me, but not the little debt you owe me”.

Gumbelle’s eyes darted back and forth between Minty and Fyre, “Minty is this true? I thought you settled any unpleasantness you had with ponies.”

“I-I don’t know w-what you’re talking about! I-I don’t o-owe you any m-money.”

Fyre chuckled, “You were always a terrible liar, Minty. But eeyup, it turns out that spending a lot of time at the track betting on Wonderbolts ranks up a barrel load of bits, four thousand to be exact.”

Minty cringed, she knew the she didn’t have the bits, and Fyre wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted. It was time to stall.

“Fyre….I don’t have your money. I can try to get it in the next few days but I don’t think”-

Fyre angrily knocked over a lamp on a nearby table, sending glass everywhere. Fyre quickly stomped towards the door.

“YOU HAVE THREE DAYS, FRESH, AND IF I DON’T HAVE MY MONEY BY THEN, YOU’RE A DEAD MARE!"

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fyre had finished telling his tale, and his grin had disappeared. Gumbelle did mention something about Fyre knocking over a lamp, so his story seems to check out.

“Wait a minute,” I interjected, “You said this happened on the eighteenth?”

“That is correct.”

“And the murder happened the night after. Could it be that you got impatient?”

“Please, I may be a criminal, but I am a dragon of my word. I was here at Club Velvet, you can check with the owners”.

I gave him a sneer. His story sounds legitimate, but it could very possibly be a lie. I should definitely check with the club’s owners. I began to ask him about Addams Apple, when I felt a hoof on my shoulder.

“Ah Addams, so kind of you to rejoin us.”

My head spun back like an owl. Addams Apple had an evil smirk plastered on his face as he eyed me; strange that a coward would have such confidence. He plopped himself down next to thug number one. I wasted no time on the interrogation.

“I wouldn’t be smiling, Addams, especially since you know that Bunnie could come after you at any time”.

Okay I wasted a little time. But it made her smirk disappear with her confidence.

“So I couldn’t finish a little assassination, big deal.” She tried to bargain, “Fyre here has got me doin’ real jobs.”

“Like completing her assassination?” I countered.

“What are you babbling about?” she asked.

“Well, Fyre said that he didn’t kill Minty personally, so maybe he hired you to do it. It could fill up that empty feeling you had where you didn’t finish the job the first time.”

The whole table stared at me, and then erupted into laughter. Brown and black looked like he would pass out from laughing so hard.

“Now-now you’re just being pathetic, Bullet,” Fyre said picking himself up, “Do I have to just outright say it, I’m innocent!” He noticed that the band just left the stage, “Maybe a nice performance would calm your nerves”.

A pony with a pencil mustache and a white tux slipped onto the stage. He seemed to be chuckling at something. He grabbed the mike with a smile,

“All right, everypony, it’s time to introduce the mare that you all came to see. It is my pleasure to introduce, Miss Moonstone”!

Thunderous applause rippled throughout the club, while I groaned. Moonstone’s reputation for her voice was more well-known than her criminal status, but less talked about than Tootie Fruity’s insanity. Personally I’ve never heard her sing. I guess it was time to find out what all the fuss was about.

The ruby red curtains flung open, at first you could barely make out the silhouette of a pony. But when the giant spotlight hit her, all you saw was radiant beauty. Approving whistles and claps would echo off the walls.

This unicorn had a flowing purple mane that was all in curls. Her velvet red dress perfectly complemented her dark blue eyes. I wasn’t into mares, but this lady was sure trying that.

With her eyes half open in a sexy way, her mouth opened to release a voice that was as beautiful as her.

She sang the first few chords on stage, but soon grabbed the microphone and danced around the club in a sultry way. It quickly dawned on me that now all of the whistling was being performed by Fyre. The little bugger’s cheeks started to turn red.

After her little number, the club was applauding so hard I thought my ears would leave my head and run off screaming. I had to admit, she lived up to her name.

“Quite the diamond isn’t she?” Moonstone’s luscious song was replaced with Fyre’s slithering voice. I could have sworn he had hearts in his eyes.

“Yeah well, while you boys sit here and ogle, I have some fact checking to do”.

Author's Note:

Sorry for this to take so long everybody

Comments

[themouthofmush]

is adams apple a stallion or a mare? cause you have some inconsistencies in here.