“Unfortunately, I can say the same is true in my circles as well.” After all, what proportion of Equestria’s ordinary rank-and-file Guardsponies smoked like chimneys when they were off-duty if there was nothing better to do? Half? Two thirds? It was a lot. Being out of barracks and in the palace proper at least meant Artemis got away from the smoke. And she was happy her VIP didn’t imbibe either. But there the two of them stood, Artemis still being coy about her own social situation while trying to suss out that of the other.