Equestria; UNDEAD

by runningtoastgirl77

Chapter Nine: Rose

As I trotted up the ramp to our strip of houses, a curtain blue pegasus was waiting outside of my cottage and stopped me. "Whirlwind!" I yelped.

"Yeah, that's me..." he was in front of the cottage door. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, okay, just let me-"

"Zian is at the market with the rest of them. I stayed behind to tell you when you got home," he paused, "well, that's half true. I also... wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to me? About what?"

"Come inside, " he turned away from me and opened the door, "Zian made some tea before she left."

I trotted in the doorway as Whirlwind got us some tea. "So what is it?"

He sat down at the table and set down the cups, and patiently waited for me to sit down. "Zian was really worried about you. " He paused to take a drink. "Do you know who that mare you were talking to last night is?"

I nearly choked mid sip and felt myself heat up in embarrassment. Did Whirlwind show up to the bar without me noticing? "Yeah, we know each other from way back when... why?"

"Do you know what she does?" He looked more concerned than angry, but anger leaked out into his tone.

"She was a florist..." I said softly, remembering Tea Rose's flower deliveries often making her suddenly need to vanish in the middle of their group gatherings.

"Oh? Is that what they call it?" he laughed slightly, then frowned. "I'm only saying this because I don't want you to find out the hard way, Autumn... and I feel bad for that girl, really." He took a deep breath and decided to cut the bull already and get to the point. "Tea Rose is a prostitute."

My vision of my crystal- clean past life shattered into fragments on the floor. She's been doing THAT to herself? For how long? Thinking about it made me sick.

Whirlwind watched as I got up. "Autumn, where are you going?"

"How do you know if Tea Rose is a prostitute?"

His face became flushed and flustered. "Well, you see with all this... excitement the past few days I figured I'd get a drink at the bar, and I kinda stumbled into the wrong place."

"A whore house?"

"N-no! it's more like a high-class gentlecolt's club... ugh! The point is I thought you should know..."

"Did you have sex with her?"

"No!" Whirlwind sputtered. "That Cinnamon mare was really pressing her though..."

"Cinnamon?"

"Cinnamon Champagne. Owner and provider of the local back- alley high-class entertainment club."

"How can they get away with something like this?"

"How can they not? Autumn, it's not like this is illegal. The legal system is pretty thin here anyway, but they are willing to... as far as I now. Also, the refugees are scared, stressed, and fearing death is around the corner every second! How do you relieve stress? Well, for a lot of ponies it's gambling, drinking, and spending some 'quality time' with willing mares."

"Well, that's still disgusting!"

"Well, weren't you drinking away your problems earlier? Bit hypocritical if you ask me," he stood up. "Now, I have a plan..."

"Well, put it on hold. I have a personal plan I need to do." I grabbed my saddle. "I think we're going to have to leave sooner than later."

"Are you crazy, Autumn? We can't leave tonight! Zombies are crawling out there!"

"Relax, Whirlwind, I meant in the morning? Now, are you going to come help me or not?"

He sighed. "Fine."

Cinnamon Champagne's Velvet Lounge was indeed 'high-class' entertainment. On the outside, it looked just as much like an old abandoned war fort as the rest of the town, but the inside was completely different, like an upscale Canterlot resort. The walls were dark wood with an intricate padded design at the bottom, near fancy couches. In the center of the room was a small fountain. The lobby even smelt nice and elegant.

Like roses.

Well, at least now I know where Tea Rose got her smell from.

Whirlwind and I were together in the lobby, when a... mare... walked up to us. "Well, well! Welllllcome, darlings!" Cinnamon Champagne was a sight to behold, poofy strawberry- cream mane with a white- wine coat. Her face, however, wasn't her brightest feature to put it lightly. "What can Miss. Cinnamon do for ya'll today?"

"Yes... um..." My track of mind was temporarily shut down by the pony's mere appearance.

"We had some questions about one of your girls?" Whirl wind said.

"Oh, wonderful! Come now, let's talk about this more privately, let's go into my office." Seeing her in motion nearly made vile swim up to my throat. We fallowed her into the pink- embroidered office. All the daum pink hurt my eyes. "Now, whatever it for?"

I sat down in a fuzzy chair in front of the desk, careful to stretch down my sweatshirt. I didn't know who'd been sitting there. "We wanted to know if there is a possibility we could... relieve one of your employees of business?" I said, trying to sound official.

"Oh?" She glared. "Who? Why?"

"Tea Rose. We were going to have her join your party."

"Lil' Rosie?" Her eyes widened. "Well... That will be an issue."

"Why?"

"Rosie is my best. She gets the most clients. Not like I can just let her go empty hooved now, can I?"

"What do you want, Miss. Cinnamon?"

"Oh, nothing now... but how about you just... owe me later. I give you tea Rose now, and one day if you are to return, you will simply have to do something for me."

"Your full of-"

"Deal." Whirlwind said.

"I'll notify Tea Rose of your decision. Now, would you care to stay a bit and enjoy a vary generous discount?" She turned to me. "Ya'll could stay to, honey. We do have some stallion workers, too. But then again, you do have the look like you might be swinging towards the fairer sex..."

"I think we're good." Whirlwind said. "Good day Miss. Cinnamon."

Cinnamon waved as we left. "Ohh, do come back!"

Comments

[AdamAperture]

1st May 2016

TIME TRAVEL? IT'S STILL MAY 30TH HERE HELLO? XD

[runningtoastgirl77]

7175079 it's the 30th here

[AdamAperture]

7175276 Lol k the chapter says may 1st :P

[runningtoastgirl77]

7175278 ohh not for me lol

[NewKerbalEmpire]

So all they have to do is never come back to the town. Sounds good.

[runningtoastgirl77]

7177622 yep