Revenge, like a beer, is a dish best served cold. (Open)

Thunderclap sat at the bar. He stared ahead, a half mug of beer sitting on the bar beside him, held tightly in his iron grip. His face showed almost no expression, although if one looked closely they would see a slight mix of anger and sorrow. He took a sip of his beer, before slamming the mug back down on the bar. He tugged lightly on the silver and light blue bandana that hung from his neck, one of his only reminders of his love. An emotion he did not feel much anymore.

With his other hoof, Thunder was playing with a card. It was a standard sized playing card, but instead of the standard suits and numbers it was completely white. Completely white, that is, except for an eight pointed star on one side. "What goes around comes around." He said, taking another drink.

gemini entered the tavern, looking around for a spot to sit. sighing, he walked up to one of the few spots he saw, this one next to a very angry looking pony. ordering his drink, he decided he might as well try to talk to the pony as he had nothing else to do while waiting for it." hello, i'm gemini." he started politely, expecting to be told off almost immediately." cool card you got there, is it a trick card or something?"

Thunder sighed slightly, barely audible. He turned around to look at the other pony, retaining eye contact the other time. Thunderclap raised to his full height, looking down at Gemini. "Greetings Gemini. There are some who call me Thunderclap." He said, then took another sip of his drink. He then placed the card on the bar. "It is not a trick card. It is my card. That is my symbol. It represents cause and effect." He said simply. "No use telling this guy to bug off. I need to make friends, not more enemies." He thought.

gemini felt a bit nervous, seeing the pony at his fully height and expected to be hit or something. sighing mentally in relief when thunderclap introduced himself, gemini was glad to think he was wrong." well, it's nice to meet you thunderclap." he takes a sip of his drink when it arrives." so, cause and effect, huh? interesting. mind if i ask what type of lifestyle you have to have a symbol like that?"

Thunderclap pondered his. "I need to give him an answer, but nothing to revealing. Somepony of my profession is not the kind of pony who should go around and tell everypony what they do." He cleared his throat, giving him extra time to think. "I am, a farmer, of sorts. I reap what I sow. If I do not work hard, then I do not get a good crop. I believe life should be like that. the richest and most noble ponies should be the ones who work the hardest." He said.

gemini raised his eyebrow, seeing through thunderclaps lie. he decided to shrug it off though, since he agreed with the idea at least. thinking back to his family, he immediately thinks about what would happen if they were poorer. after a second of that, he turns back to thunderclap." well, i can understand that. being a farmer, you must have to get up early each day, right? i can easily say, i would hate that. at least i get to sleep in on weekends. so, what type of farm do you work on then?"

Thunderclap adjusted himself on the bar stool, a seat obviously made for ponies smaller than him. "I work on a grain farm. We have acres and acres of land that needs to be planted, and tilled,a and maintained. It is tough, but necessary work." He said, finishing off his drink. He motioned the bartender to bring him another.

"ah, i see." gemini thinks for a second."but....i don't recall any grain farms around ponyville...what brings you out here?" he asks, not sure if pointing out that fact was the best choice of action." also, what does the cause and effect symbol have to do with farming? i hate to say it, but your lie has a few holes in it. if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

Thunderclap glared down at Gemini. "My lie may have a few holes in it. But I believe you are just too nosy for your own good. Didn't your parents teach you to stay out of another pony's business?" The bartender gave Thunder another drink. The blue pegasus picked it up and took q huge gulp out of it. "Let's just say my line of work is not something a nice guy like you shouldn't get caught up in."

gemini laughed a small bit, suddenly feeling nervous." nope, in a way, i was taught how to get into another ponys business. so, i can get the idea of the type of work you do at least, but i must admit, i'm still kinda curious." he takes another drink, looking around curiously." either way, when you lie, it would be best to keep in mind your surroundings and be more vague." he says, thinking back to what he was taught when he was younger.

Thunder grinned. "Oh, but it is not a lie. I am a grain farmer. You simply made the assumption that I am from around here. And the eight pointed star is a perfect symbol. The grain I grow is the direct result of the work I put into it. The less work, the less reward." He said, and took another drink. "As for what I do besides farming, well, you don't wanna know.

"so, you admitted it was a lie, then go back to the same lie?" gemini laughs a small bit." well, i suppose being a 'grain farmer', you don't have much use for lying, do you?" he says grain farmer with a bit of sarcasm." anyway, then why are you here then? and i must admit...isn't it...odd for a pegasus to work on a farm?" he asks the last part somewhat hesitantly, hoping not to offend thunderclap.

Thunderclap looked down at Gemini. "And isn't it odd for a pegasus to ask so many questions?" He said, chuckling, but still slightly annoyed by all the questions being shot his way. "Let's just say I would rather not talk about my profession, an leave it at that." He said.

gemini nodded a bit." sure, i get the idea. even i have things i'd rather not talk about. so, i bugged you more than enough with questions, i suppose i should let you ask some yourself, huh?" he takes a drink, sighing a bit." just, avoid questions about family if you can." he offered to answer questions out of politeness, and so he wasn't bugging thunderclap too much.

Thunderclap finished his second drink. "Well, I return your question. What do you do for a living?" He asked. Thunder asked this for two reasons. One was that he was genuinely curious. Two was that he was wondering if he could use a pony like Gemini for his mission.

"well, that depends on what you mean by living? if you mean for a job, i work at a veterinary office as an assistant. you know, managing stock and helping where ever i can. other than that, i tend to try to travel whenever i can. i...tend not use the things i was taught when i was younger for reasons i'd rather not say. nor do i like to talk about my past in general." gemini answers honestly, glad thunderclap didn't ask about his family like he asked.

Thunder smirked. "A veterinarian, you say? That is interesting." He said, playing with his card. "And not use things you were taught when you were younger. I believe everything you learn will come in handy at one point in your life." He said. Thunder look down at his mug, realizing it was empty. "Ah well, I probably drank too much anyway." He said, chuckling.

" well, i highly doubt that..." gemini sips his drink again, muttering something under his breath." and i think it might not be too much if you still realise how much is too much. last time i was here, one of my friends drank a whole keg, and surprisingly didn't die of alcohol poisoning."

Thunderclap laughed. "Yes, well, I like to stay aware and on top of things. If I'm inebriated, who knows who will take advantage of me." He said, laughing some more. "Come now my friend, you need to lighten up! Laugh a bit." He said.

"how very true." gemini says about the first part, then laughs a small bit when told he needs to lighten up." that's why i'm here, isn't it?" he says as he lifts his mug for another drink." and i'm light enough. just not one who laughs a lot, i guess." gemini thinks back to his talk with stormy, thinking about why he was always laughing." anyway, i'm just as glad to not use what i was taught as much as i would be to use it."

Thunder continued playing with his card. "Anything I learn has been useful to me, even hough I never thought I would use certain skills again." He said. Thunder thought about his skills with a blade, but decided not to tell Gemini. "You can never be too careful." He thought. "You can never know what the future holds for you. Best be prepared for everything." He said.

"yes well i don't think being a veterinary assistant has anything to do with manners or how to run a business or something else like that." gemini replies, thinking back to his family before he was kicked out." now, the best i can use my teachings for is figuring out when somepony's trying to lie to me or to lie to them." he says that part a bit sourly, then seems to go back to his polite, curious attitude." sorry. just...thinking about my family. anyway, i guess it's not all wasted teachings. at the veterinary office i work at, i'm an assistant, so i do the stock and records, most of the time."

Thunder nodded. "Exactly my point. Even things you don't think you'll ever use again may one day be useful, maybe even save your life." He said. Thunder yawned and stretched out his wings. "My, it must be getting late." He said.

gemini shrugged a small bit." yeah, it probably is. i came in here at...ten? something like that. either way, i'm still not drunk yet." he takes another drink, finishing his second glass." so, exactly what do you do? i promise not to tell anypony, okay?"

Thunder placed down his card. "I am unemployed. I have no home. I spend my time helping other ponies in any way I can. Sometimes I do some shady things for money to help the poor." He said. "And I don't care if you believe me or not. Its the honest truth."