Half Hour Horses: Legacy Prompts

by HoofAndQuill

LP60: Las Pegasus [Slice of Life]

The Prompt: Write a story set in one of the following Equestrian cities:
-Baltimare
-Fillydelphia
-Las Pegasus
-Vanhoover

This story doesn't quite go anywhere, but what the hay. I wanted to write something for this week!

Las Pegasus, or as it was known to many, just 'Pegas', was known far and wide as a very nice, fancy, glitzy place to go and lose all your bits in one cider-fueled night.

The Cloud Nine, a pegasus-themed casino right there on the strip, was much less widely known than the city at large, and tended to cater to ponies who had acquired a reputation for sweeping up bits in all the lesser casinos already. As more practiced ponies gravitated to the place, fewer and fewer amateurs came in to lose all their money.

Though occasionally some random donkey off the street did manage to wander in, as was the case tonight.

"Ante up." Cranky spoke without any kind of excitement, despite being in the presence of quite a lot of glamour and flashy decor. He casually tossed the sizable ante of bits onto the table, despite coming in with a bedraggled toupee that was fooling nopony, and not even having the class to wear clothing for a night out in the casinos.

The other ponies around the table tossed in their bits after their own fashion. They had all been in Pegas for a while now, and they knew their competition. As the cards were dealt, the ponies at the table all glanced to one another, trying to size up the expressions on everypony's face. The slightest twitch of the lips, wince of the eyes, or flick of the ears could tell everypony around quite a bit about the cards a pony was getting.

Cranky Doodle Donkey just sat and scowled, barely changing expression at all as each new card was added to his hoof. He even fumbled a bit holding the cards splayed out, a feat not always made easy with hooves. By the donkey's expression any pony in the world would have thought he must have the worst deal in the world. 'Easy money' was certainly the thought around the table.

The pegasus on the donkey's left started the betting. He tossed a few more bits into the pile, and play proceeded on. Each pony in turn considered their options, and eventually decided to go ahead and at least check into the bets. When it got back around to Cranky, he saw the current bet, to everypony's surprise, and then raised a modest sum as well. Still the displeased scowl never left his face.

Another round of the table left the pot the same, until it got back to Cranky. He glared at his cards, and tossed another few bits in.

None of these ponies would chatter during the game, but they certainly looked to one another. It had to be a poker face. He must be scowling to hide his elation at having a winning hand.

Another round of checks, followed by another modest raise by Cranky. A few nervous glances went around the table, though most of these ponies knew the game well enough to keep their doubt hidden. Two checks later, a pegasus across the table from Cranky shook his head and folded, pre-flop. He sat back a little, crossing his forelegs and frowning at the donkey, who hardly even seemed to notice.

Third time around, Cranky shook his head and simply called the bet.

The game was on again, and careful eyes watched for responses from the flop. Cranky's scowl only deepened, he must have been overcompensating to hide a smile. A common rookie mistake, and all the ponies felt a bit more relaxed again. Sure, he might have a good hand, but that lack of confidence was going to lead to a fold.

Another round of bets saw a few modest raises, until it got to Cranky. He paused, and then slid over twice the bits required. The flash of avarice in the experienced player's eyes was only slightly tinged with the wonder of what kind of hand this newcomer must be holding, to bet so aggressively. Still, the other raised to the challenge, and the pot grew with each new bet.

It was another two rounds of raises before somepony else folded, unable to take the increasing cost of staying in.

Finally Cranky just called the bet, and another card was dealt to the center of the table. If anything, Cranky only frowned further. What in Equestria was he holding?

Another fold before even the first round of betting was done, and only three players were left. They were each so invested in this hand already that they could hardly stand to fold now.

The final card was flipped, and the game was nearly over.

Cranky raised, and the others matched the bet. Cranky raised again, and the others matched the bet. Not once did the frown leave the donkey's features.

The pot grew, but finally became too much for a pair of the ponies at the table, the two suspiciously folding in the same round.

Cranky just shook his head, glaring at the cards as though it might change them.

He raised, and his opponent checked. He raised again, and his opponent met the bet. The pot grew and grew with each raise, until finally Cranky frowned a bit more, and set his bag of bits on the table. "All in."

The pony looked at the bag, and to his own. He could match the amount, but it was... not a small amount. The pot was huge, but the way that newcomer was looking, he must have something great to hide. The silence settled over the table as the pony debated, thought, rethought, overthought, and then cleared his head and started over.

It couldn't' wait forever, though, and a not-overly-subtle cough from one of the folded players brought the timing to attention.

"I... uh... darnit." The pony glanced to the pot, then to the sack of bits waiting to be added to it. "... fold."

Cranky shook his head, his floppy ears swishing a bit. He reached out and swept the sizable pot into his saddlebag, before flipping his cards over to reveal his hand. "High card, princess of apples. See you ponies later."

He trudged away from the table with his saddlebags weighing him down, leaving several stunned high rollers behind him.

It was enough for another few years of looking for Matilda, even after he factored in bailing Steven Magnet out of the griffon kingdom's jail. Cranky hitched himself up to his wagon again, and started off toward Griffonstone.