[Las Pegasus]The Endless Dance(Closed: Dusty, Bellosh)

[IceStorm]

 

 

 

"Whew..." was the only thing that Wind Dancer could say after the performance that she had given tonight. It was true that she was under contract at the Mareage hotel and Casino in Las Pegasus, but she was also smart in setting it up to where she was still allowed to perform at other venues as long as she prioritized dates that the Mareage wanted over the others. As it was now, she was currently in the Fire and Ice Hotel Casino, and boy was it nice. It was after all, a brand new casino. It had only been open for about a year and a half and had already made quite the name for itself here. The design of the Casino as a whole was unique and stood out which helped it get off the ground, but it was also clear that no expense was spared in it's creation. Everything about it was luxurious and very well upkept.

 

And all of that was precisely why Wind Dancer only wanted to do shows here sparingly. It wasn't that she didn't like the casino. Not at all! It was more from the fact that on more than one occasion her shows because of the wind production from her wings in her act, she had caused major damage to stages or internal structures that required lengthy costly repairs. She wouldn't be able to handle herself if she broke or completely destroyed something here. She was definitely sure that she wouldn't be able to afford to pay for anything that broke.

 

As it stood, however, Wind found herself back stage as she started to take off the outfit that she had for the night. Well, more just one of her routine outfits in general, she had plenty and unlike other showmares had no qualms about reusing them. Those things were expensive!!! Especially for her because most of her outfits were carefully crafted, aerodynamic flight suits that she could use with sequins and the like to help further direct airflow and wind currents to at least try prevent too much wind from being converted. Of course, with them being designed for aerodynamics in mind, they were very tight fitting, which mean getting them on and especially off after she was all sweaty was a real struggle.

[Dusty]

“You are the only pony that comes to this city and then wants too do nothing.” Tempest says with a roll of her eyes as they walk down a hallway of the Casino. “And it's free!” She added with huff. Sunny was so held back about this, you’d think she’d enjoy meeting a show mare in the back room! But nooo, she’s a big nerd. Tempest was going to teach her how to party some day. But for today, Tempest had a meeting she was not going to pass up. Ice new what treats to toss her way and this was a nice one… Even if she did not plan for Sunny to along for the ride. Changed some plans. But fun can still be had! “After this I will let you pick out where we go. Whatever you want. So long as it's cheap. I blew most of my last check on a black smith… Will be so worth it.” She added with a grin as the stop at a door marked for Wind Dancer. “Now, are you going to wimp out or not?” With that she hits the door three times with a hoof. 

[Bellosh]

 

“Well geez Temy, SORRY that I find it hard to enjoy Las Pegasus after witnessing its rotten underbelly for fifteen straight minutes because a certain SLOB forgot to clean up the pigsty that you locked me out of!” What Sunset Shimmer had intended to be a casual visit to meet up with her good buddy was clearly off to a rocky start, leaving the amber unicorn in a salty, eye-rolling mood.

 

“After this I will let you pick out where we go. Whatever you want. So long as it's cheap. I blew most of my last check on a black smith… Will be so worth it.”

 

“Maybe you’d have more money in the bank if you actually worked an honest job for a damn living,” Sunset fumed beneath her breath. She knew full well that for whatever mysterious reason, the owner of the Fire and Ice Casino let Tempest get away with essentially not showing up at her post for most of the year. It almost seemed to Sunset as if the owner was pulling some sort of tax scam or other shady scheme. Meh... smart ponies knew that Las Pegasus was built on a foundation of organized criminality, after all.

Even if that wasn’t the case... Sunset was a girl who juggled two part-time jobs in two different planes of existence. Of course she’d feel some level of resentment towards somepony who got away with not pulling their weight in society... very good friends included.

Back to the current moment, Sunset sighed in resignation as Tempest knocked on the performer’s dressing room door. Apparently, Temy thought Sunny would be impressed by the chance to meet whoever this Wind Dancer mare was. Welp... however bad her mood was right now, Miss Shimmer promised to herself that she’d at least try to be a good sport and not show undeserved hostility towards the professional dancer that Temy seemed to like so dang much.....

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer was in mid pull with her flight suit when she heard the knock on the door. She let out an exasperated sigh as she immediately presumed that the pony knocking on the door was one of the event organizers coming to try to go over the final payment structure and try to tell her how much was going to be coming out of the payment to fix damages to the auditorium even when there wasn't. It was always like that when she took a gig anywhere else, even if she didn't damage anything they would still charger her for it to try to pay her less. Las Pegasus was crooked like that. "Gimme just a second!" she yelled back through a struggle.

 

After a few more tugs she finally popped free from her flight suit. What she wasn't expecting though, was the elastic nature of her new outfit to slingshot her into the wall next to the door, and a loud thud... as well the concussive force of the impact could be felt at the door. The hit would jar the door loose a bit as wind finally heard the ponies that were now talking outside of the door. One was a voice that she thought she recognized, but could just be the welt the wall left on her head that was talking to her, and the other was completely new to her. They definitely didn't sound like event staff that was for sure. That meant one of two things. Either they were ponies that she knew personally, or they were fans that snuck past the guards. "Go ahead and come in! going to take me a second to get my bearings again!" Wind said shaking her head to get the room to stop spinning.

[Dusty]

************Roughly two hours ago************

“I can't stop this feeling

Deep inside of me

Mare, you just don't realize

What you do to me!”

 

Tempest drilled her hoof in to the punching bag hanging from the ceiling as the words laver her muzzle, singing along to the music filling her apartment. She was about half way done with her daly workout. Today was going to be a good one. Ice lined up some fun for her and the next day her friend Sunny was coming over. Things in her life seem too be looking up after so long of being down. It was not amazing but for the first time in well over a year she had hope. Along with taking to heart what pink flank says. Think good, think better. It was hard but steap by step she was going somewhere better. 

 

With one last buck of her legs a chain snapped as the punching bag rips free of the ceiling with a thundering thud. “OH #%^#@ %@#$ #^$!” She yelps from in shock jumping away from it. She heard the pony from the floor below her yelling and cussing her out. He can get over it. Not her fault. Kicking the bag to roll it to the side of her apartment she shrugs and trots over to her ‘kitchen’ side of the apartment and tossed up her refrigerator to look for a snack. Pushing about cans of beer and other drinks… But nothing. She must have eaten the leftovers already. Oh well, she can grab fast food on the way to the Casino. Slamming it shut she rolls her eyes and grabs a cigarette before she fishend up her work out. With a spark of her horn it was lit as she flops on to her bed. Today was nie- A hoof pounded on the door. Growling she gets out of bed heads too the door, pulling it open. “What the buuuuckkk…. Me.” She whispers blinking as she saw Sunny on the other side. “Uh….” looking back at how… bad her apartment was… and the fact she only had on some old flank stained tank-top and bandages left her feeling humiliated and just slammed the door shut on the poor mare. “J-JUST HOLD ON!” She yelped. So much for sunny coming next day. 

************************

 

Tempest folds her ears back as sunny yelled at her again. What a horrible day it's been. She bucked all and was dragging sunny to see some blasted show mare. Hopefully she can do something to help her friend forgive all of this. “Look, I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times you want to hear that! I messed the dates up, I'm stuped I know.” She says back looking at Sunny. “Look, I swear whatever you want. Name it and I will bend over backwards to fix this mess later. I swear.” She added looking back to the door. “I know it sucks, this was not meant to overlap. Just… If... If you want we can turn around now and do whatever you want.” She says taping her head against the door. What a bucking mess this day was. So close to meeting THE Wind Dancer and here she was trying to not destroy one of the few good things in her horrible life.

[Bellosh]

 

Sunset Shimmer would have responded to her friend had it not been for the commotion she heard coming from the other side of the door. Several seconds later came a voice bidding them to enter. The amber unicorn sighed; “.....We can talk about this later.” And with that, Sunset stepped forward and opened the dressing room down.

“Hello there miss, we just wanted to-” What Miss Shimmer saw... was quite disconcerting. There was Tempest’s favorite dancer, looking like she had just taken a beating! Sunset gasped; “All you alright!? You need any help?”

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

After a few minutes, everything finally began putting itself back together. She saw there two mares walk into the room. When she finally felt like she could stand again, she pushed herself up, spreading her wings out for balance as she noted two unicorns had walked in. It was about that time that the she remembered that the owner had told her that some VIPs wanted to meet her tonight. One of the unicorns looked familiar. She'd definitely seen her around Las Pegasus before. She'd recognize the Mohawk and the horn anywhere. She didn't know the mare's name but she at least knew of her. 

 

The other point was a bit of a lighter, yet darker..? orange color in her coat and hey mane looked like the embodiment of fire. Either she was the owner's other half or she was friends with the violet unicorn. When she spoke and asked if she was okay, she rubbed the bank of her head with a wing before nodding. "I'll be okay. I ordered a new flight suit for tonight and it was a lot stretchier than I was expecting... It was like I was wearing a slingshot," she said before righting herself and smiling. "All things aside, I'm Wind Dancer. Might I have the pleasure of knowing of whom I have the pleasure of meeting?"

[Dusty]

Tempest can’t tell if ‘We can talk about this later’ was good or not. She really is doing all of this by the dock of her tail! But it seems Sunny was willing to drop all of this arguing for now and she was not about to say no to that. Maybe by the time the day is over Sunny will just let it stay dropped… One can hope.

 

Moving on, she followed Sunny in and eyed up Wind Dancer. With far less alarm than Sunny. After seeing a few shows with Dancer it was easy to take a shot in the dark as to what happend. Dazed, mark on the wall. Skin Tight suit underneath her hooves. Yep… She knew this well as she’s done it a few times herself! But unlike Dancer she’s never taken it off before meeting some pony… Given the fact she had hers on at the moment. What can she say, she enjoys wearing it! 

 

“It smarts, done it a few times as well.” She says poking her own muzzle. “I don’t think most ponies understand how hard it is too get out of them, even mine can be a real beast some days. But I’m Tempest, head of security and something of a fan! I was the one to get some strings pulled for a VIP pass. Was uh, planning on a one on one but well things happened. This is.” She puts a hoof on Sunny. “Sunset, she’s tagging along for the evening if that is fine. Now on the VIP pass… It did come with a dinner out with you I believe, but we can do that later. Whenever you are hungry. Name the place! Meal will be on me.” She says with a big grin, scotting past Sunset to hold her hoof out for Dancer. She’d have to make the most of this even with sunny along for the ride.

[Bellosh]

 

While Sunset Shimmer kept up appearances by manufacturing a friendly smile and waving back at Wind Dancer when introduced by Tempest, her heart was already experiencing a sinking feeling. Like it or not, Sunset was tagging along as a third wheel. That wasn’t entirely a new situation for the Equestrian girl; there was once a brief time when she had acted as a 6th (or 7th) wheel in her then-new friend group, just hanging back at the periphery. As a mare who wanted to feel useful... it wasn’t exactly the most pleasant of times.

And now, Miss Shimmer by accident would now be joining an outing that was originally intended to involve only Tempest and this... Wind Dancer gal. Considering that Sunny wasn’t the invested fangirl in this VIP duo nor the designated object of fangirlism, she was already preparing herself to be regarded as little more than an afterthought for the next couple hours.....

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

 

Wind Dancer was at least a little relieved that she wasn't the only pony that has had problems getting these kinds of suits off. When Tempest introduced herself and her friend, everything clicked! Well at least for Tempest. She knew she'd heard that voice before! Seeing how she was head of security here that would be why. Sunset she didn't know, but it looked like, and was confirmed a bit that she had been kind of dragged along for the show and the event. The VIP pass that Tempest had food include a dinner. That was good cause she was positively starving after that performance a bit she didn't want the other mare to feel left out either. She smiled and returned the hoof that Tempest reached out and shook.

 

"We can head to the dinner whenever you'd like. After that last performance, I'm starving. As far as the venue of choice," she smiled turning to Sunset. "Why don't you pick for us tonight Miss Sunset? After all, is Las Pegasus. There after very few bad restaurants here. Else they're gone in a week. This might have originally been a one on one, but there's a lot more fun to be had in Las Pegasus as group than a couple. So name the place and I'll be happy to show you both around on the way there," she smiled extending her own hoof to Sunset. Hopefully this would be the start of a great night.

[Dusty]

“That works! I promised her food as well… Seems I have two mares to take out on the town for dinner.” Tempest says with a soft grin, clearly enjoying the concept. Two birds with one stone as they say. And well she hoped for more… intimate outing this will just have too do. A change of plans can still be fun with a day this young. “I’d toss in my own recommendations but I don’t think either of you may enjoy eating out in a pub watching illegal fight clubs… But really it is hard too go wrong here. It's a dog eat dog city, only the best make it long. Even if I do fear for my bank account, don't worry about it sunny. I can pay for it.” She chuckles and rolls her eyes. “Well just do some favors for my boss. She’s a sweet mare if one can get past all the ice.” 

[Bellosh]

 

“Ehhhhhh.....” Sunset Shimmer’s unsure mind drew up a blank; “This is my first time visiting Las Pegasus; I have no idea at all where to eat here. Gee, I don’t know... I GUESS I don’t really care where we go, just as long as it isn’t a total dive.....” In other words, the sort of establishments that Temy was drawn towards. Aside from that, Sunny wasn’t all that motivated right now to take charge and assert what type of restaurant she’d like the group to eat out at.

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer smiled at Sunset, rushing in between the two and putting her wings across them. "Oh, you've never been to Las Pegasus before? That settles it! After dinner, we'll go on a tour and I can show you a good amount of the sights, sounds, and shows that go on here!"

 

"As far as restaurants, there are a lot of amazing ones here. There are a couple that I personally avoid, as Ice caters to all races, but those that do partake in that kind of cuisine have high praise for them. My two favorites here are the Ice Cream parlor and the Long restaurant. Those noodles are a-ma-ziiiiiing," she said happily putting vibrato on the last syllable. 

 

When Tempest spoke of Ice, Wind nodded. "She's actually very nice. Definitely not the kind of pony that you'd imagine running a place like this. Most casino owners are very cut throat and will do anything that can to slander another casino. She's not like that at all, though she definitely has the vibe of a pony you wouldn't want to make angry. That amulet of hers gives me the heebee jeebees," she said before a loud growling sound came from her stomach, making the pegasus mare blush a bit and smile sheepishly... "Ehehe....he.... So... Who's hungry?"

[Dusty]

Tempest rolls her eyes at Sunny. Here she was trying to let the mare have some fun and make the most of this and she’s being a butt about it. At least Wind Dancer was keeping the mood cheerful as that was something needed in the extreme it seems. “If I can slide in my own wishes, no noodles. I have been living on cheap noodles for like, two weeks. I’m so bloody done with noodles.” She says with a shake of her head. “Other than that I’m game for whatever long as it's not too fancy. Five star restaurants are scams. Cost my liver for them to put two grains of rice and a leaf on a plate. Boss took me to one. Just… blerh. Glad she paid for it. Had to go out and get dinner after dinner as I was still starving.” She then looked over at Wind Dancer, oh she did enjoy seeing that cute mare puting a wing over her back. But she reeled in that hunger for a more food related one. “Other than that and long as it's something Sunny can Enjoy I’m all game!” 

[Bellosh]

 

That mention of the casino owner owning a freaky amulet definitely piqued Sunset Shimmer’s interest. Unfortunately, both Wind Dancer and Tempest Shadow seemed eager to not linger on that particular. Regardless, maybe Sunset would ask about it some more during dinner.

“Ehhh, I’m not quite an ice cream parlor will fill me up,” the amber mare speculated; “But I’m sure the Long restaurant will have stuff there other than noodles like dumplings, egg rolls, and rice bowls..... Yep, I’m feeling like I’d rather go there tonight.”

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

 

Wind Dancer have Tempest a raised eyebrow when she mentioned some of the five star restaurants being a scam until she heard the one that she went to. "Oh, you went to that one. You'll learn here that there's a difference between fancy and five star. I'm surprised that Ice took you there as she doesn't seem the type of make that enjoys things like that," she replied as she says she was open for anything but was hoping to avoid noodles. 

 

When Sunset spoke up, she smiled again. "Well, ice cream has never been a dinner food persay, but if you're in town and ever get a sweet tooth, I highly recommend it," Wind said before looking back to Tempest. "Oh yeah, they have a lot more that just noodles. They have all kinds of stir-fry, soups, rice dishes. And they give a lot more that two grains of rice. It's definitely a place you go after a show and not before one. It can be a little pricey for some of the more exotic stuff on the menu, but that because they bring a lot of it straight from Neighpon," Wind smiled before extending a hoof back into the hallway. "Shall we?"

[Dusty]

“Important meetings tend to make us have to go to rather dreadful places. Leave it to the rich and powerful to have some of the worst tastes possible in decor and food.” Tempest says with a roll of her eyes and snort, she was never at home in such settings. Even city life punished it for her. But these meetings were the worst. Well she never had to talk, she was there after all to just look tall and scary, she still had to hear them talk. She felt sorry for Ice having too speak to them and deal with that madness.

 

But such matters were not at hoof. Good food is too be had. Leaning her head to the side she thinks about what they say and shrugs. “Fine, I think I know of the place. It's a favorite for the techies, they get it too go all the time to eat here. Will give it a try and just stick clear of noodles. Heh.” With that she trots for the door and holds it open for the other two mares.