Dodge City
Night falling made it easier for Laguun to find this 'Dodge city' as his master called it. Looking from far away, there weren't any walls or any kind of security. Laguun made mention of this, "Aye seems strange to me too, perhaps they don't get into fights down here" Durin responded. Laguun slowly marched closer to the city, keeping an eye out for any kind of danger. Arriving on the outskirts, Durin got off his back, gripping the stock of his rifle insuring it was still there. Laguun questioned at the assumption of hostility, "No, we've been gone for a few centuries if their hostile it will probably be pointed at you since you're draconic." Durin said pointing back at Laguun with a smile. Laguun breathed smoke out of his nose in response. "Now don't get huffy at me, I'm just saying." Laguun walked towards the city in response, Durin walking up next to him with his hood pulled up 'just in case' he muttered.
Dodge city was certainly interesting, lots of lights and colours. Of course the colors were from all the small horses inhabiting the city. The records called them ponies, which made sense to Durin they were made three or four feet high, making them terrible mounts except for children. As they walked further into the city, Laguun noted to Durin the looks they were getting. Durin had noticed them as well. Fear and curiosity, not the best combination when walking into a city.
The first order of business was visiting a treasury, the currency of the human empire never changed from their use of silver pieces, but these ponies had used a currency written down as 'bits'. Durin walked up to the first pony that wasn't giving them a strange look. The pony was dark blue with teal hair dressed in fishnet stockings and wore a large amount of makeup, attempting to cover the black eye she received. 'A lady or mare of the night' Durin thought as he walked up to the courtesan. "Hey stranger you looking for a good time?" The mare offered intrigued by creature that stood before her. "Perhaps but I'll need to visit the treasury first, you wouldn't happen to know where that is?" Durin asked as Laguun growled at anyone who got too close to himself of his master. "Got no bits, then sorry sugar I can't help you" The mare responded. "What if I could play with something better?" Durin asked pulling out a silver piece and showing it to the mare. "What's this?" "A silver piece, pure silver I'm sure it will cost a quite a few bits at the treasury." The mare looked it over, before eyeing Durin, "Alright follow me."
As they walked through the following the courtesan asked "So what's your name stranger?" "My name is Durin and my friend here is Laguun. We're… travelers." She giggled in response, "I'll say my name's Nighteye. I believe it's obvious what I am." "A mare of the night named Nighteye, either your parents' saw this coming or this is a very interesting coincidence." Durin said looking at Nighteye. "My mother was one and in a city like this it was unlikely I'd be anything else. They're dead now." "I'm sorry if you want you can have my dad he's a stick in the mud." Durin offered, getting a giggle out of Nighteye. "No thank you I'm fine on my own." Laguun ruffed in response, "Laguun don't be rude just because she has a black eye doesn't mean she isn't fine." Nighteye stopped and turned around with the look of shock, "You can see it? That's must be why I haven't had any customers tonight." "The makeup brings it out; if you've got your makeup on you I can patch it up. I've been a fair number of scraps where I've had to do that." Nighteye smiled before turning around and walking again "Thank you I'll take you up on that."
Arriving at the treasury, Durin and Nighteye walked in as the doors were too small for Laguun to fit through. "Hey Misty" Nighteye called out as they reached the front desk. A light blue mare with silver hair appeared minute later wearing glasses. "Hey Nighteye" she said before looking at Durin, his hood still covering most of his face, "Whose this guy?" "Misty this is Durin and we need you to appraise this?" She asked putting the silver piece on the counter. Misty slipped her glasses to examine the silver piece flipping it closer before gasping. "Where did you find this?" Misty asked, looking at Nighteye. Nighteye raised her eyebrow and pointed at Durin. "Why, Misty is something wrong?" "Misty reached over the counter and grabbed Nighteye with her hooves, which baffled Durin on how she could do that. "This is an imperial silver piece used by humans five hundred years ago, it's a treasure." "So how much is it worth?" Durin asked. "One silver piece is worth a thousand bits perhaps more I'm not a proper historian so that's just a guess." Nighteye mouth hanged open before looking at Durin. Durin looked at her laughing before saying "Looks like you're a thousand or more bits richer Nighteye." Misty looked at Durin, "Where did you get this, humans have been extinct for centuries.
Durin raised his eyebrow before taking of his hood, his piercing ice-blue eyes looking into her green eyes. "I know we've been gone for a while but we're not extinct." Now Nighteye and Misty got a look at Durin. He has light brown hair stretching down the sides of his face forming a small beard just under his chin. Three small scars looking like claw marks were now seen on his left cheek as well as a cut going over the bridge of his nose. His eyes had bags under them and looked like he would fall asleep at any moment. "You're a human?" Misty asked her face in complete shock causing Durin to smile, his canines seen clearly. "Yes" is all he said before taking a seat on a nearby chair. "Please cash the silver bit for Nighteye then I'll ask about cashing my own." Durin said picking up one of the magazines.
Nighteye turned back to the counter as Misty ran or 'galloped' as Durin figured out of the room, calling for a professor Storm before remerging with Storm who was fixing his jacket. "Misty I highly doubt it's a legit silver piece." said Storm taking the silver piece and putting it at his station with a few books floating into the room after him. After ten minutes, Durin had fallen asleep reading the magazine as Nighteye had taken a seat beside him. Nighteye poked Durin's arm causing him to open an eye to look at her. She produced her makeup kit and held it out to him.
Durin started applying the makeup, "So who did this?" "A customer who didn't get what he wanted, he wanted to go all the way and claim me as his mare and I refused." "Didn't like him I take it." "He's a politician and lousy one at that but he's got connections to bully the competition. He doesn't take rejection well." "What's his name?" "Why?" Nighteye opened her eyes as Durin finished holding the mirror so she can see the patch job. "You say he's got connections, I just want to show his connections can't protect him from justice." "Durin you just got to this city you can't start causing trouble right off the bat." "I'm not I'm causing justice" He said smiling. Nighteye sighed, "Pintus Gravel he's also the owner of the Gravel casino." "That wasn't so hard was it?" "Don't get killed when going after him ok?" Durin smiled before nodding his head.
"By Celestia, your right!" shouted Storm, picking himself off the table. Storm trotted over to Durin, "So you're a human?" Durin nodded before getting up and handing Storm another silver piece, "I'd like this exchanged as well as the one Nighteye has." Storm nodded his head before walking into the treasury coming back a few minutes later with two bags tossing each of them. "Two-thousand five hundred bits for the both of you" Storm stated before walking back inside. Nighteye was smiling ear to ear before wrapping Durin in a hug, thanking him a dozen times over. "It's quite alright, please find me if you ever need any help." Durin said leaving Nighteye as he walked out the door.
Laguun was asleep beside the door being looked at by civilians when Durin walked out causing Laguun to wake up. "Come Laguun we've got justice to deal out." Durin said with Laguun sighing in response but following none the less.
Princess Luna was watching the night court, an array of painters, musicians and artisans being inspired by her night and her presence. The double doors opened, she expected more artisans but found a guard rushing by everypony before holding a letter up to the princess.
Luna unsealed the letter and read it, gasping which caused everypony to stop what they were doing and looked at the night princess. "Send for my sister." She ordered. The guard bowed and raced out, not seeing the sight of joy on Luna's face. Her subjects saw it before smiling and returning to their passion.