The Villains Bar

by Zubric

Episdoe 5 Heart Warming Season

If the bar had any windows, or existed in any physical plane of reality, Gilda just knew she would see snow falling outside. Hearth’s Warming Eve was just around the corner – the particular holiday being so popular in fact that not even non pony races could avoid it. Gilda didn’t dislike the jolly carols and all around happiness, despite how ridiculously cheesy it could get at times. The griffon had fond memories of Hearths Warmings past with Dash back in the day, and she knew that there were much worse and embarrassing things to sing than Deck the Stalls. She couldn’t say the same for the rest of her kin, who were fixated on a different aspect of the holiday.

All griffins loved bits, and around this time of year ponies were just suckers who would hoof over bits for any kind of nicknack they could get their desperate hooves on – no matter how shady the quality might be. Most griffins preferred selling dolls oddly enough, although those were sturdy due to them doubling as test dummies for little hatchlings to pounce on. Ancient hunting habits died hard, but hey it built character.

Much to Gilda’s surprise, Discord had decorated the bar with various streamers and tassels, turning the usual theme of browns and greys into a vibrant green and red. There were also various tablecloths with colours ranging from purple to snow white. It was festive for sure, and a welcome sight if she was to be honest. Most of the usuals even seemed to naturally smile with happiness, which was a pleasant change due to a smile most of the time meaning somepony was cooking up some great new evil scheme. She wasn’t sure what they had to be so happy about, but whatever the case, she had gotten used to it.

A light chill blew through the front door as the queen of the Changelings stumbled in, bucking the door closed behind her, a loud thud shaking the front decorations as she did so. She had a loose, slightly lopsided smile on her face and an unsteady gait that all but confirmed that she had already been hitting the bottle. However, as the insectoid approached the counter, Gilda’s fine tuned hunter's senses found that she sure didn’t smell the part. The indifferent griffin had seen a lot of things over the last few months, but this was something new. A drunk changeling.

“Wow, never seen you so buzzed,” Gilda chuckled while pouring some foaming pink liquid into a shot glass and sliding it to Chrysalis with practiced ease. She continued to watch as the changeling stared about in a half daze before abruptly knocking on the bug’s head. “Hello! Equestria to bug butt!” she sneered while drawing her claw back.

Chrysalis’ eyes went from their glossy daze to an icy glare in an instant, her slit pupils daggering into Gilda’s own with annoyance. Unlike any other time where the changeling queen would seethe with fury if anypony poked fun at her, her anger quickly subsided and she retained her aloof state.

“Oh, sorry bird brain, just so – hehe – into the holiday,” she donned a sly grin as her hoof nudged the glass in front of her.

“Ponies are such saps this time of year. Mmm – all that love to reach out and snatch. It’s like a month long feast. Almost as good as Hearts and Hooves day. Oh, we Changelings just love those holidays,” she licked her lips, letting out a sigh of blissful content while leaning on the bar like a lovestruck mare. “Hehe – if you catch my meaning.”

“Careful, all that holiday love might make you fat,” Gilda jested, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the queen’s viper like hoof. She let out a chuckle while shuffling down the bar to watch the other patrons idle about with their various activities. It seemed even the Diamond Dogs were enjoying the holidays, despite said national holiday having nothing to do with them. Those runts of the litter probably enjoyed all the bones the griffins would leave behind after a feast. A smirk crossed the bartenders beak, the ponies were so missing out on some good grub being mostly herbivores.

The queen chuckled again, plonking her glass upon the counter. “Oh you’re the one to talk bubble butt.”

she smirked seeing Gilda’s glare intensify as if hunting prey. This battle of wits however was surely in her favor. It may have been Discord’s little hang out, but here she was the top of the food chain as far as she was concerned. Those pesky Sirens may have been a close second, though a challenge was always welcome.

At that very moment, as if those harpies could hear her very thoughts, the unmistake orange mare leaned against the counter, scaring the living daylights out of any bar patron unlucky enough to be in her immediate vicinity. Adagio smirked and swished her tail. “Are we talking about the holidays and food?”

Gilda regained her cool in a flash before anyone could notice and put her claw upon the table. “Where did you come from? I didn’t even hear you come in,” she glanced around soon seeing Aria Blaze on Chrysalis’ left. The two sisters appeared to have jumped on the festive bandwagon as well, and were both sporting red stocking caps with a fluffy white fringe at the base and a puff of the same on the tassel. The griffon wasn’t too keen on the more fashionable side of the holidays, but if creatures as powerful as sirens deemed the hats a worthy statement, then who was she to judge.

“That’s because we’re Sirens, and we’re very light on our feet – er – hooves.” Adagio then groaned. “Seriously though, why these lousy pony bodies instead of our mighty Siren forms. At least then we’d actually look menacing.“

Aria snatched a glass of root beer from Gilda’s waiting talons and took a few sips. “I don’t know, but I kind of like it.” she clanked the mug onto the oak counter and noticed the twinkling string of lights snaking its way across the top of liquor racks. “Oh right, Heart’s Warming. Been away so long that I nearly forgot what that was.” A joyful laugh escaped her lips and the same drunkish look found its way upon her face, the very same one that the bug queen had a few minutes ago.

“Hmm not quite as filling as the other world though,” Adagio replied while pawing at the ruby around her neck. “You wouldn’t believe how materialistic human beings can be. We can walk around toy isles listen to whiny six year olds argue with their parents over some cheap plastic toy that they would surely get bored of given enough time.”

“Oh? From what I heard you’re power was destroyed. So what are those?” Gilda, with a quick practiced swipe, managed to snatch the necklace Aria was wearing and began to examine the blood red ruby surrounded by the thin golden band.

“Hey! Give that back you lousy pigeon!“

Aria dragged herself halfway onto the bar and fiercely reached out with her hoof, only for Gilda to take a few steps back out of reach. If she wanted it so badly, she would have to clamber the rest of the way over the countertop, which would only give the griffin time to dodge more.

“Not until you tell me, or maybe hand over some bits,” she laughed mockingly while turning the pendant in her talons like a trained jeweler.

Having enough of the shenanigans unfolding before her, Adagio lightly tapped the bartop with a hoof – just enough to get attention. “If you really must know, griffon, Discord gave them to us.”

Gilda laughed, tossing the gem in the air before catching it in her talon again. “Yeah right, as if he would give you your powers back without some catch.”

Aria was about to speak up again but her leader cut her off with a simple raise of her hoof. “Yeah, not exactly happy about it, but at least we have the ability to absorb negative emotions so we don’t age. Mortality is such a fragile thing.”

Chrysalis, who up to that point had been a simple observer of the situation, downed the last of her drink and threw in her opinion. “Ha, I see that you use their own selfish greed to feed yourselves. That is quite diabolical.” She paused and looked around noticing somepony missing. “So, where is your third wheel?”

“You mean Sonata? She in the bathroom. Lets just say holiday food doesn’t agree with her and leave it at that,” Aria commented, rolling her eyes as she took another gulp of her drink. She glared at Gilda once again, clenching her teeth. “Now give me back my necklace,” she hissed.

“...Fine.” Gilda lazily tossed the pendant back into the mare’s hooves and took a seat, crossing her talons on the countertop. “Not like I wanted it or anything.”

“Well, now that we gotten that settled,” Adagio rested her forehooves on the bar and scanned her eyes about the room, easily picking out something odd. “Where are the two love birds?”

“Who?” Gilda titled her head, not quite getting what the siren was implying.

Aria chuckled. “Sombra and Nightmare of course. What, are they already in bed?” Her comment was followed by a woot from Chrysalis laughing at the dirty humour.

“As if, I’d have felt something by now if that were the case,” the queen gestured to the far corner were the two so called lovebirds were having an all out hoof wrestle with several Diamond Dogs betting their gems on the winner. “Those two have been at it for an hour, simply amazing.”

“A show of strength to the female, definitely a first base,” Adagio snickered, leaning on the counter again as she watched the battle of wits. “You know, we used to set up dates just for laughs, then introduce a third element just to cause friction. You’d be amazed what a male will do when having to chose between two gorgeous females.”

“Ha! a mare after my own heart!” Chrysalis high hoofed her neighbor. “Truly this is a fine season to celebrate.” Just as she put her hoof down, her posture slipped, causing her to topple off her stool and onto the floor below with a crash. The group around her broke into laughter, clinking glasses together.

“Are you sure you’re sober,” Gilda taunted, looking over the counter as the bug picked herself off the floor.

“Shut up,” Chrysalis groaned, rolling her eyes before sitting back down on her stool, trying her best to hide her embarrassment.

Meanwhile, the crowd of dogs and Changelings kept cheering on the combatting duo. Nightmare Moon’s slitted eyes gazing into Sombra’s with vigor while letting out little grunts as their hooves shook from the monumental endurance. Any normal pony would have tapped out by now, but these two were different. Being dead had it advantages.

“You sure have quite the stamina for a unicorn.” Nightmare pushed harder, gaining a little lean towards her side only for the king to push back to even it out.

“And you,” Sombra grunted, “Are a stubborn mare.” He managed to lean Nightmare’s hoof to the right, smirking a little as he made some headway. “Would have expected you to give up half an hour ago.”

The dark alicorn’s eyes stared deeper somehow with determination, a smirk upon her muzzle. “Oh why is that? Is it because i’m a mare?”

She pushed back against Sombra’s hoof, admiring the flexing muscle along his shoulders. It was hard to deny that under that tacky armour of his there was quite the physique.

“No, it is because you are as inflexible as the stone you were imprisoned on,” Sombra smirked, clearly playing some kind of mind game. That was something else to admire about him when he wasn't in that dribbly stupor of his.

“Ha! and you are about as stubborn as a child who tantrums when they don’t get what they want,’ Nightmare countered, staring into those fiery eyes of his.

Sombra once again pushed, gaining the advantage, his eyes narrowed in determined focus. “Oh, you are one to talk miss I didn’t get enough attention,”

The crowd kept cheering as NIghtmare roared. A sudden burst of inequine strength pushed Sombra hoof over to her side at nearly a seventy-five degree angle.

NIghtmare grinned with fangs exposed, holding her position. All it would take would be one final shove to put that smug grin off his face and show him his place. Her hoof shook wit her rage.

“You, you-”

She was about to speak but the King cut her off. “Don’t know the power I possess?”

Nightmare’s eyes went wide before narrowing quick as whip. Her hoof slammed her opponent's hoof into the table with a gratifying thud and denting its surface. She peered into his shocked expression yet saw his pride as he snickered even in defeat. Even as the crowd cheered and exchanged betted bits and gems, the queen of the night rose to her full stance and glared silently for a few moments before mouthing “This isn’t over.” With a huff she turned and walked away soon departing up the stairs.

Rover whom had wandered over to the bar during the end, looked at the sirens, titling his head. “Why pony mad if she won?”

Adagio laughed, finishing off the glass of root beer she been drinking. “It would take too long to explain. Let’s just say the game is afoot.”

Rover blinked dumbly a few times before shrugging and moving back towards his pack, the group hearing him mutter as he did. “What do feet have to do with anything?”

Sonata wondered over after finally recovering from her upset stomach. Upon ordering an ice water she turned to her compadres and noticed the clear signs of scheming upon her leader’s face. “Oh? What did I miss? Don’t tell me they kissed.”

Adagio leaned back and rubbed her hooves together. “No, not yet but I think we just found ourselves a new hobby,” her grin went ear to ear before pulling her allies closer. ‘This is going to be fun.”

Gilda strolled to her own stool and sat down taking a sip of wine. “I guess Discord was right. A little chaos does make the day go faster.”

Comments

[Pontiac56]

I am living this series. I'm just waiting for a chapter where the mane 6 somehow show up and get booed out for not being villains

[Zubric]

8518971
well do have another chapter im thinking through. Nighmares a plenty, Hightmare moon, Midnight Sparkle, Gia everfree, daybreaker i guess. not sure about the last one just yet.

[RBDoucette]

This is really cool. I am definitely keeping a watch on this. Looking forward to reading more. :)

[Zubric]

8522956
Sorry if I take ages to get anywhere with it

[Pony_Person_123]

6804308
I was going to post that

So i'll just do this instead

https://m.