After exchanging formalities, Derpy Hooves and Note Pad entered the main lobby of the expansive and extravagant flashy building, with their new acquaintance Eclair Von Hoofington. Jazz music filled the ears of everypony in the large lobby, and Derpy found herself enjoying the music.

"Ah, you like jazz?" asked Eclair.

"Well I don't really listen to it, but it sounds really nice..." she remarked. "I usually listen to anything that DJ PON3 plays back in Ponyville."

Derpy turned to Note Pad, but he looked very anxious.

"Who do we ask to see your cousin, Eclair? Does she have an office?" asked Note Pad, shuffling slightly.

"Yes, but we have to get permission at the front desk. Luckily..."

Eclair pulled out a small key from one of his pockets. Derpy didn't understand why Eclair had chosen to wear clothes. It must have been a rich pony thing. Then again, she DID sport clothes herself. With her fantastic detective hat and pants, watch and notepad, she looked fly.

"We have this! She gave me this key in case I want to visit her sometime!" said Eclair.

"She sounds nice!" said Derpy. "That makes our lives a lot easier. Do you know WHERE her office is?"

"Not at all," said Eclair. "This is what we must ask the concierge."

The trio approached the front desk and up came the concierge, a cream-colored pony with a beige mane and tail.

Kinda cute... thought Note. But I'm here for Candi...

"Yes?" asked the concierge, eyeing the three.

Eclair spoke up, flashing the key. "I'm here to see my cousin Chocolate Dip. She gave me permission to see her in her office whenever-"

The concierge interrupted. "I'm sorry, she isn't here at the moment. She left a note saying she stepped out," she waved a hoof dismissively. "Something about hiring new ponies to work the gentlecolt's club. You can visit the casino while you wait for her. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience."

Eclair clutched the key. "Well alright... please let us know when she arrives."

The concierge scribbled a note. "Yes sir, I shall."

Eclair turned to the group. "Well, you heard the lady. Time to hit the casinos," he said with a smirk.

"That could be good for you," said Derpy to Note Pad. "You could use the relaxation..."

"I guess..." said Note. "I just wanna sit down for at least a moment."

The three made their way into the lavish casino hall, and were met with bright lights, music, and many ponies filling the room. The room itself had red carpeting, with brown walls and slot machines, roulette, and tables where one could play cards, among other games.

"Wow..." said Derpy. "I've never been to a casino before..."

"Do you have a watch?" asked Note Pad.

Derpy looked down at the watch she bought, smiling at the memory of Lyra and Pinkie and their little adventure prior to leaving with Note Pad.

"Yes, why?" asked Derpy.

"Well casinos don't have clocks on the walls. You lose track of time. It's one of the ways they keep you playing," said Note.

"Ohhh..." said Derpy.

It had literally just hit Note Pad: bringing Derpy to a casino was probably the worst idea he's EVER had.

"Please stay with me," he said. "I don't want you losing all of our money."

He stuck close to her and she tried to hide her blush.

"Yeah, I'll stay with you," she smiled.

Eclair halted the group. "What are we going to play?" he asked with excitement.

"Uh, I don't know..." said Note. "Something easy for Derpy."

"Hey, I can learn fast!" said Derpy. "Let me play anything!"

"I don't know..." said Note.

Both Derpy and Eclair gave Note Pad puppy dog eyes, and Note sighed.

"Alright, let's play Blackjack I guess."

The three ponies approached a blackjack table where they were met with a gray mare, with a red and white mane. Her cutie mark was a royal flush, and she smirked as they approached her.

"What's up?" she asked. "Care to play?"

Derpy figured that this mare must have been the dealer, and she was hoping not in the drug sense.

Note Pad sat down with Derpy, trying his best to explain the rules. A nearby pony was cheering due to winning a lot of bits.

Once he explained the basic idea, Note Pad let Derpy play against the dealer. At first she was losing games, but then she won a few as well, smiling and looking over at Note Pad, who nodded and smiled himself.

"Hit me!" said Derpy, gazing down at her two cards momentarily, a Jack of Clubs and a Five of Hearts. The dealer gave her a new card, a Five of Diamonds.

That's twenty. I think she's smart enough to stop there. thought Note Pad.

"Hit me!" said Derpy.

WHAT? screamed Note Pad in his head. And she was doing so well!

In a twist of luck, Derpy's next card was an Ace of Hearts.

"I'll stay," said Derpy. She revealed her cards along with the dealer, who had a combined total of 20. Derpy won with 21.

"Yay!" exclaimed Derpy, taking a considerable amount of chips for her winning streak. "You were right Note, this game is fun!"

Note Pad grinned. "And easy enough for you. Everything else would be too complicated."

She huffed. "I wanna play Poker now!"

Note Pad shuffled. "Uh..."

"Please?" she asked.

"Fine..." replied Note.

Eclair chuckled. "Let the mare play Poker. We'll be here a while anyway."

Eclair excused himself to go to the bathroom, leaving Note Pad and Derpy to play more casino games.

Almost twenty games later, Note Pad looked in disbelief as Derpy stuffed a flankload of hard-earned chips into her bag, giggling to herself like a crazy pony.

"Chiiiiips~" she said in a dream-like state. "They thought I was bluffing but Derpy doesn't bluuuuffff~"

"Please don't be a gambling addiction, please don't be a gambling addiction," begged Note Pad.

He received a tap on your shoulder, and turned around. It was the same pretty concierge from before, with something important to say.

"Miss Chocolate Dip is here now," she said. "Where is your friend?"

"Eclair?" asked Note. "He left a long time ago and hasn't returned..." Note Pad thought about how odd that was.

"You may still speak to Chocolate Dip of course. She is watching the girls in the club. Overlooking them."

Oh boy.

"Thank you so much," he said to the concierge. "Derpy!" called Note to the dazed mare. "Hurry and cash those chips. We're going to see the CEO of Playpony Enterprises now!"

"Okaaaay~" said Derpy, staring at the shiny poker chips.

Soon after that, Derpy and Note Pad entered the Gentlecolt's club, spotting Chocolate Dip seated in a special area. Many stallions were here, calling out to the mares and having drinks, and generally having a good time. Seeing all of this made Derpy very uncomfortable.

Chocolate Dip was a beige mare with a milk chocolate mane, and a large tail that looked like you could take a bite out of it, in all of it's swirliness. She turned and saw the detectives, and called them over.

"Good evening, Detectives Note Pad and Derpy Hooves. My assistant tells me that you request information. Are you enjoying yourselves?" said Chocolate Dip.

"This club sure is something," said Note.

"I apologize for making your wife feel uncomfortable," she said.

Note Pad and Derpy exchanged quick glances before looking away in awkward embarrassment.

"We're not married!" said Derpy, suddenly turning a deep red.

"Oh my," said Chocolate Dip. "My apologies yet again. It's just the way you two carry yourselves. You walk as if..." She shook her hoof. "Nevermind, sorry."

Derpy continued to look away, very embarrassed. A hundred thoughts moved through her mind at once.

Note and I look like we're married? That's a good thing, right...?

Note Pad was also uncomfortable, clearing his throat.

"Yes well..." he began. "I'm looking for a pony named Candi Swirl. We saw an ad in the phone book that this building had a gentleman's club by the name of Candi Swirl's Candy Shop."

Chocolate Dip smiled. "This is indeed that club, and that mare is here. She's one of my finest gals. Always makes the stallions so happy."

Note Pad felt like he was going to throw up. It was a lingering feeling in his stomach that he had to hold down.

"May I speak with her? Your cousin Eclair told me that you were the one to show me where she is."

"My cousin who?" said Dip.

The lights dimmed. Another show was starting. The stallions cheered and stood up, as Derpy, Note Pad and Chocolate Dip remained seated to talk.

"What do you mean? Your cousin Eclair Von Hoofington-" began Note Pad.

"I don't have a cousin by that name..." replied Dip. "I'm sorry, before we continue this conversation, I must see a few of my new showgirls."

A group of mares entered the stage, and the crowd cheered. Note Pad and Derpy's view was brought to the mares, the music playing even louder.

A certain mare was recognized by Derpy, and her jaw dropped in surprise.

"So you're telling me that Twilight is in Canterlot?" asked Pinkie, repeating what Rarity has told her.

"Yes dear. She told me she was chasing some strange fantasy, and that she was off to see somepony for a job," said Rarity. "She told me she would be back by tomorrow."

"Is that TWILIGHT?" gasped Derpy, standing up in surprise, along with every stallion standing up to cheer, as the bookish lavender unicorn pony took to the center of the stage.

ACT 2: END