More work on the Roan RPG. Petina is going to have a color piece in the rulebook so I need to finalize a composition for the piece. I wanted to create a very Film Noir feeling.

It was three in the afternoon when I strolled into the ballroom. Most of the lights were off in the room. Only the sunlight pouring through the large observation windows lit the place. The sunlight threw long shadows across the floor. My shift didn’t start for a couple more hours but I needed a drink. The ballroom and the bar area was mostly unoccupied. It was a Friday but the fun didn’t get rolling until around six in the evening when the air-cabs, yachts, and ferries full stallions and mares started to bring up the customers from below.

Silver Flask was standing behind the bar when I walked in, our eyes met and he nodded his head. A couple minutes later I had Sidecar in front of me. I took a long sip and closed eyes, yeah that hit the spot!

With basic essentials taken care of I looked around the room; the room was mostly empty. There was a collection of tourists gabbing away in a corner. They had arrived a day or so ago, and were taking advantage of the Early Bird drink specials.

A couple of the regulars were waiting for either the card room to open, or for the special mare and stallion companions to go on the clock so they could hire one of them for their special services.

However the real pony of importance in the room was a little unicorn mare; a drop dead gorgeous, white mare with green eyes that seemed to be able to see right into a pony’s mind. A drop dead gorgeous mare in a short, snug little black dress, that just happens to by my boss. Petina DePony.

Nobody seems to be quite certain about where Petina came from our how she came into possession of the Heavenly Bawdy at such a young age, or even what her real age is. Some say she’s a former sky pirate who found some forgotten treasure left from before the Ascension. Others say she’s the illegitimate daughter of an industrialist, or politician and she had the dirt on them. The purchase of this airship was a form of hush money. Still others speculate that Miss Petina has stumbled upon arcane magic that makes ponies want to give their money to her. Considering how successful she’s been at running this place that one has some merit.

However I believe in a more controversial theory that most ponies seem to dismiss with a wave a hoof. I believe Miss Petina acquired the Heavenly Bawdy through hard work and using her wits. She got ownership of this floating palace of hedonism by busting her haunches, mighty fine haunches they are, and not losing sight of the prize!

One way or another I have Miss Petina to thank for this job of mine. She was willing to roll the dice on a stallion who was down on his luck and had almost given up on himself. Now I have a roof over my head, money in my pocket, and three solid meals a day. Drinks and mares come out of my own pocket.

My job ain’t hard. Make certain ponies have a good time. Make certain that folks don’t get out of line and cause trouble, and if they do escort them off the ship. Miss Petina has given my coworkers and I quite a bit of latitude when it came to escorting folks off the ships. Just no tossing of non-pegasi over railings, and even really drunk pegasi get thrown in an air-cab; splattered, flattened ponies down below makes for bad PR.

Suddenly Petina looked my way and our eyes met. I’ve worked here for almost a year now, but I still feel a shiver of excitement run up my spine when she does that. Heavenly Bawdy employs some mighty pretty mares, and I’ve even partaken of their services once or twice, but if there is one mare onboard this ship that will fill your sleep with fantasies its Miss Petina. However she’s completely out of my league, and besides sleeping with the boss always leads to trouble.

She shot me an impish grin then went back drinking her Whiskey Sour. I finished my drink and paid my bill. Figured I’d go talk to Steel Mane see if anything had happened since I went off shift this morning.



All, in all the Heavenly Bawdy is a nice place to work.