Boreal Dusk
The whole bar had erupted into cheers when the two recruiters announced that everyone would get a free drink, and rightfully so, but I, unfortunately, couldn't join in their celebrations. It had dawned on me that this entire night had drained me, and the celebratory cheers didn't aid my plights. My head hurt a bit, the prolonged exposure to such dissonant speech obviously causing it. I needed some rest, but I could also pick myself up a drink from the bar. I mean, it was free, wasn't it?
As I left my seat, so too I had left my empty bottle of Sarsaparilla. Normally I would have picked up my trash, but I was both too weary and fed up with this establishment to care. As I made my way to the bartender, I slowly began to regret my decision, as I would have had to wait at least another minute in this dreaded atmosphere before I could get my drink and leave. Due to my impatience, the wait seemed to have lasted forever.
Finally, I managed to be in the company of the bartender, who, judging by the mess of bottlecaps behind the counter, was obviously joining in the good spirit of the celebration left in the wake of the two business ponies.
"Uhhm, yes, I'll have some Sparkle Cola . . . it's free, right?" I asked him, trying to keep my volume to the minimum amount he could have heard me with.
"For you, no way. You pay like everyone else!" he retorted, a smug grin across his face.
"But . . . everyone else didn't pay," I managed to squeak out, now starting to worry a bit.
"You hear the man, you bettah pay him or get the fuck out, ya damn weirdo!" said the mustached pony I had come into contact with before, when I carried out that drunk guy I later stole caps from. I felt a bit betrayed, realizing that my few seconds of cooperation and conversation with someone didn't necessarily mean that pony was an ally. I sighed and relented, handing over eight of my caps in return for a bottle of cola that the bartender make sure I didn't get the cap of. I levitated my beverage and began my walk out of the tavern, muttering a rather colorful curse which, unfortunately, I had said too loudly than I had intended to and was caught by that mustached pony.
"You bettah watch yo fukin mouth round here . . . queer!" he spat at me, and both him and the bartender erupted into laughter, giving themselves a rapid barrage of brohoofs. I soon made my way to the exit, although the bartender wasn't finished yet.
"Hey, thanks for your business!" he shouted at me sarcastically, which caused the duo to repeat their laughter-brohoof combination, before the bartender returned to his job and catered to another customer. Although, as I glanced back, I noticed the remains of the spilled coin bag still had some mass within it. I smirked a bit as the tip of my horn began to glow brighter, now enveloping the bag and quickly sending it straight towards me, while the other ponies seemed none the wiser. The pleasure is all mine I thought to myself as I exited the tavern, both purse and drink neatly levitating in front of me.
Now, the only problem was to find a place to crash for the night.