They're EVERYWHERE!

65536: 10

"...hate heights, hate flying, hate everything, hate hate hate hate hate..." Blazing Light keeps whispering as the group nears the streets of lower Canterlot after flying down the side of the mountain from the upper city. So far, the only one surprised by it is Tender Feather. 65536 doesn't even notice, being too busy turning its head around and chittering with excitement ever since they left the castle. Thankfully, the dimly lit night has provided enough cover so that nopony noticed that the quadruped riding on Sharp Biscuit's back is a changeling wrapped in layers of clothing not exactly fitting the late summer night.

"Oh shush, you big colt," says Darky, gently setting the unicorn cursed to be something changeling-like down, "You're fine."

"My leeeegs..." Blazing stumbles, trying to regain control of his wobbly and weak limbs.

"Seriously, the worst case of vertigo and fear of heights I've ever seen in my life."

Blazing grumbles something incoherent to himself before looking back at Tender Feather.

"How far away is the tavern?" he asks.

"We landed a little further away than I expected but we're still in the mountainside quarter. We'll be there in ten minutes, give or take," says Tender and starts leading the group through the streets of lower Canterlot.

"We would have landed in the right place if certain somepony didn't keep praying to anything from Celestia to Bar-Gakh the Flesh Twister to be on the ground as soon as possible. If ya- you wanted quick, I could have just dropped ya- you, damn it!"

"Isn't Bar-Gakh the OnO god for lawful evil clerics?" asks Sharp, receiving questioning glances from everypony, "What? Dusk Gloom, Grimmy, her foal, I, and a few others have sessions every Thursday. Hay, Shining Armor used to run a minotaur barbarian with us until the preparations for the wedding started. We invited Luna once shortly after her return but, as it turned out, having somepony who can actually cast epic-level magic is not as much fun as one would think. Poor Cloud Shadow hasn't been the same after getting sent into a different dimension for five minutes via a Maze spell. Come to think of it, inviting a changeling who could transform into monsters would do wonders for the ambiance."

"Memememememe!" 65536 starts bouncing up and down on Sharp's back.

"You can't transform."

"Memememememe when I get better!"

"I'll think about it," Sharp can't help cracking a smile, "Now, everypony, focus. We have a job to do."

They reach the sought tavern soon. Despite it being so close to midnight, there are still twenty or so ponies sitting alone or in small groups and chatting. The ground floor is a wide open, long, rectangular room with the occasional wooden pillar for support, on the opposite side of which is the counter. The earth pony bartender's eyes flick towards the incoming group and the rug with which he's been cleaning a tall glass freezes for a moment. To somepony who knows exactly what they're looking for, that's enough of a giveaway.

Sharp Biscuit and Tender Feather approach him first while Darky and Blazing scan the area for any potential trouble or anypony listening. Fortunately, after the initial surprise of seeing two Nightguard and one Royal Guard armors in this part of the city the interest of the patrons seems to have dissipated rather quickly.

"How can I be of assistance to the crown this fine evening?" asks the bartender in a friendly manner, "Or is your visit here simply for pleasure."

"Unfortunately, business only," says Sharp, nodding towards the numerous bandaged spots all over the bartender's coat, "Speaking of which, those look rather serious."