//------------------------------// // Strascinando // Story: Ace of Hearts // by blowngasket //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Strascinando The bar was on the emptier side tonight, the soft background jazz music playing from the jukebox. The ones who were here remained complacent with there situation, sitting and drinking. Some laughing, others were solemn and alone looking. Perry and Catacomb entered this said bar, taking a look around. With so few people, they knew they would be able to relax, so they took up two stools at the bar. The bartender, a kind of short stocky man sporting a wicked handle bar moustache, looked over to the two, instantly recognizing the one from a few weeks ago. He filled up a glass and slid it over to him, making sure to stick a bendy straw into the glass. Casually making his way over to the two, he stopped in front of Catacomb. "What can I get for you tonight?" The bartender asked Catacomb. He looked over to Perry, who was happily sipping his apple juice through the straw. Catacomb smiled. "I don't know what that dopey bitch ordered, but anything is fine as long as it's stronger than whiskey." Catacomb smiled and looked over at Perry, who was sending a death glare through his mask. "I got just the thing." The bartender said, and placed a bottle in front of Catacomb, with a completely different language written on it. Catacomb looked it over and then looked at the bartender. "What is it?" Catacomb asked, examining the bottle. "Dunno really, but I can use it to strip paint, so it must be good." he replied normally. "Works for me." Catacomb smiled. The bartender gave him a shot glass, and proceeded to fill the glass. Before taking the bottle away, Catacomb stopped him. "Just leave it." Catacomb grinned, causing the bartender to smile. "A man who can hold his liquor...don't get many of you around here." He said to Catacomb. "Perry, you want to try some?" Catacomb asked. Perry casually shook his head and continued to sip the juice through the straw. "Meh, more for me then." "So, Perry, how has it been?" The bartender asked. Perry stopped sipping and looked over to him. "Well, surprisingly. The advice you gave me was spot on, and I owe you a debt of gratitude. Thank you again kind barkeep." "Glad to hear it." the bartender took out a jar and filled up Perry's glass. "What kind of advice did ya need?" Catacomb asked Perry. He looked at his friend and sighed. "Well, I was in an emotional rut, so to speak. I was conflicted with my past choices affecting my possible future. I didn't know..." "Ok, enough. No going all sappy on me, it will make the booze taste bad." Catacomb through back the shot, and slammed the glass back onto the counter. "OH MAN IS THAT GOOD SHIT!" he chuckled happily, pouring himself another glass. "I get where your going anyways." Catacomb looked over to the bartender, who only watched the antics of the two with piqued curiosity. "Thanks for taking care of my pal here. He can be a bit of a dumbass when it comes to common sense." Perry simply shrugged at the comment, continuing his sipping spree from the glass. "No problem, I guess." the bartender told Catacomb. "Young fellows like you two are always welcome here. Just don't cause any trouble." he said happily. "Wouldn't even think of it!" Catacomb said, forcing a spew of giggles from his friend. "Like your one to talk." Catacomb glared. "Last time this guy got drunk, a bar was wiped off the face of Equestria." Perry's giggles soon turned to nervous chuckles. "How the hell did he manage that?!" the bartender asked surprised. Perry finished the drink and quickly looked over to him. "It is a long story, so to make it simple, I no longer drink." Perry said. The bartender nodded slowly, and taking out a clipboard, started to write something down. "What is that, good barkeep?" "Just a list of who to never serve alcohol to..." Perry nodded slowly, while Catacomb couldn't help but laugh loudly. The door of the bar opened up, attracting the attention of several of the bar goes. Applejack walked in, and after a brief look around, found who she was looking for. She made her way over to the duo at the bar, ignoring the wolf calls of a few drunken patrons. She sat down next to Perry, looking at the bartender. "Good evenin', Earl." she said to the bartender. "The usual, Miss Applejack?" he asked, though still pouring her drink anyways. It was a formality to ask, but she never changed. Whiskey on the rocks, with an apple slice. He gave her the glass, while Perry and Catacomb stared on in awe. "What, ya never seen a lady drink?" She asked, slightly annoyed. Perry shook his head quickly. "No, not that." He looked over at the bartender. "Your name isn't barkeep?" Earl shook his head, holding back a chuckle. "No it isn't. Name's Earl Grey." He held out his hand, in which Perry gladly shook it. Catacomb, now on his third glass, was giggling slightly. "You seriously thought his name was barkeep?" Catacomb asked, laughing. "He never corrected me..." Perry said sheepishly, before sticking his bendy straw back up the mask, quietly sipping. Applejack smiled, watching the two acting what could be considered normal. "Hey, I had been meaning to ask ya two, what happened that got Pinkie all frazzled?" she asked Perry and Catacomb. They smiled and looked at her. "Nothing much, just one of our usual spats." Catacomb said. Perry nodded, still sipping. "Usual spats? Like fight?" Apple jack asked, drinking her whiskey and eating the apple slice. "Yes. Though I doubt it was going to escalate to a dangerous point." Perry said casually. Catacomb downed another glass, and slammed it against the counter. "You doubted it?! I was going to blow yer head off!" Catacomb said proudly. "With your pea shooter? I doubt you'd even hit me." Perry said with a cocky tone. Catacomb quickly reached into his coat, and pulled out both revolvers this time, putting the barrels to Perry's masked face. "Go ahead and call my babies pea shooters one more time... I dare you..." Catacomb said, with an angry smile on his face. Applejack looked over at the two, staring in confusion at what Catacomb was holding. "I don't want to sound dumb or anything, but what the heck are ya holding, Cata?" she asked. Quickly Catacomb shifted over next to Applejack as he gazed at her with as much charm as he could dish out. "Ah, I see you have taken an interest in these. They are called Rune Guns." Catacomb said, completely forgetting his death threats to Perry. "The latest in a combined effort by the Griffon Empire, and the Mages Collective." He opened the chamber of the gun and pulled out a bullet. The small shell was etched with lines going along the side in an intricate pattern. The lines glowed a dark crimson, almost as if the metal was on fire. Catacomb looked over to Perry, who only went back to sipping his apple juice happily, now on his forth glass. "Those special few who can use magic do so by using key words and phrases to manipulate mana. You with me so far?" "I am best friends with Twilight..." Applejack sighed. "You can bet yer bits she has tried to explain magical stuff to me. Not my style. I prefer hard work over fancy spells to make it through the day." "So you at least understand the basics then. Well before if you didn't know magic, you were out of luck, but these change that. The shells here are inscribed with the runic versions of those key phrases, allowing people like me who can't do that kind of magic to still be able to cast. The gun, this large metal thing, is the delivery system that tells the magic where to go, while the shell tells it what to do." Catacomb finished his explanation. Applejack looked slightly intrigued, while Perry simply sighed. "Perry would you..." "No." Perry responded quickly, knowing where this was going. "I refuse to be a demonstration for your ballistic joy. Besides, my magic is still out of sync, so I can't really control it yet. Doc said it was a combination of my injury and awakening, so I can't use magic for a week or so." Catacomb looked sad, then happy, grinning evilly. "So I could beat you then..." He said gleefully. "No." Perry responded. "I can and will kick your ass regardless, now please go back to your new friend there and let me enjoy my juice in peace." "Fine, be that way." Catacomb looked back at Applejack, who just finished downing another refill. Earl was good. Catacomb didn't even see him do it. "So what do you think of Amare and Tolleranza?" "Ama taller whata?" She asked, not understanding him. "Did you really name the stupid things that?" Perry asked. Catacomb chuckled. "Pardon me, but I'm a bit lost here. What happened?" Applejack ask the two. "Don't listen to negative nelly here. I thought they would be a suiting name figuring what has happened in the past." Catacomb said. He grinned as he looked at Applejack. "Wanna see something funny?" "Umm, sure. Why not." Applejack responded, slightly nervous. Catacomb took out a yellow colored bullet from his jacket and put it into the empty slot. He aligned the bullet to fire next and aimed at Perry, who almost looked like he was having scary flashbacks. "Cata...be reasonable here...is it because I called your friends there stupid?" Perry asked. Catacomb gave a simple grin. "Yes." He pulled the trigger, causing the spell to trigger. A spark fired, forming a cloud above Perry, who cringed nervously, almost incapable of moving. "NO TWILIGHT!" Perry cried out before a bolt of lightning erupted from the cloud, striking Perry and causing him to twitch violently afterwards. "Good times..." Catacomb said putting the smoking gun away, along with its twin. Applejack smacked him on the back of the head. He held the back of his head, groaning slightly before looking at her. "Ya crazy?! Ya coulda hurt him." She said to Catacomb. He looked over at Perry, who twitched slightly on the ground, and then at all the people staring at him. "Don't worry folks. The guy is like a cockroach. No matter how hard you try he just don't die." Catacomb laughed. Most of the customers shrugged and went back to their own business. Earl looked at Catacomb, with a slight scowl of disapproval. "Your last warning. No more violence or im going to have to kick you out." He said, looking down at Perry. The masked man raised an arm slowly, muttering a few simple words before passing out. "Check...please..." "Well then, now that he is taking a nice nap..." Applejack's glare was like daggers directed at Catacomb. He wasn't particularly fond of it, as it felt like Shining Armors glare. "What? You never seen this happen?" he said, slightly annoyed at the accusing look. "Well...Twilight did that a number of times...but that's different." she said. Catacomb raised an eyebrow. "Different how?" Catacomb asked. "Is it because I am the one doing it? Is it really ok for one person to do one thing, but it's wrong for someone else to do it?" "That's not what I mean!" Applejack said, raising her voice. "Then what is it exactly? You know, I can read you better than you think... just like the others who know." He put the money down and picked up his unconscious friend. "If your going to look at me with those same accusing eyes, at least wear something so I don't have to look at them." Catacomb walked out with Perry. Applejack quickly got up, throwing her money down and running out. She quickly caught up to Catacomb and ran right in front of him "Now wait just a gosh darn minute!" Applejack started to yell. "Don't you even think about walking away from me when I am trying to explain myself." Catacomb stared at her, but sighed. He always was a sucker for the ladies, so he figured a chance was in order. "Fine, you have your chance." He said coldly. "Yes, I don't like yer kind." She bluntly stated. "And on that note, I am outta..." "No you don't! Yer gonna listen!" She said, poking her finger into Catacomb's chest. "I have no issues with you. I will admit, it's hard to look past what happened, but it just wouldn't be right to judge you solely based on yer peers actions. I am sorry. I saw you do that to Perry, and all I could see was that day." Catacomb nodded, still a bit upset. He understood where she was coming from. He didn't like it, but he could understand her feelings. It was the same as with Shining Armor "For starters, I accept your apology, and I am sorry as well. It's hard to be me sometimes, with all the bad talk my kind gets. I get a bit hot blooded when people look at me as if I am like them..." Catacomb said. "Listen, how about we try again and maybe start out on the right foot this time." Catacomb smiled. For a brief moment, Applejack could see him, not his exterior, but him, in that smile. She smiled back, and held out her hand for a handshake. Catacomb reached for the hand, but instead took the surprise route and gripped her in a hug. He whispered something into her ear, causing her face to turn redder than any apple she has picked. "He'll be out for a bit. Why don't you come over so we can...get to know each other better...in more ways than one." He laid out the charm as thick as he could, grinning ear to ear as he looked at her blushing face. She stood there, hiding her face below her hat as she trembled slightly. "So Applejack, what do ya say?" Catacomb asked slyly, as he let her go. "Ya want to know..." Applejack said slowly, still hiding behind her hat. "Well I think..." Catacomb couldn't react as she nailed him in the face with her fist, sending him rolling across the ground, dropping Perry in the process. " I THINK YOUR A HUGE PERVERT!" Her face was still bright red, and very angry looking. Catacomb looked up from his wreck, regaining focus as he rubbed his nose. He watched the highly embarrassed Applejack storm off back to her house, not even bothering to look back. "Yeah...she totally wants me." Catacomb said to himself slyly. He got up and dusted himself off, picking up the brutalized Perry afterwards. This will be hard as hell to explain, but he should still be out for a bit. Catacomb wandered into the direction he believed the house to be. He had seen it once before, but only briefly. Catacomb believed he wouldn't have any issues though. ---------- ----------- ----------- "Yup, I'm lost." Catacomb said as he wondered around the city in the middle of the night. It had been nearly an hour since he started to look around, and he was starting to get tired. The lack of sleep the night before, the booze, and the current possibly past midnight hours did no such help for him. He tried to wake Perry, but the lug was sound asleep to the point where he thought he could sneak a peek under the mask. He learned the hard way though, as even in his sleep he was highly defensive, and managed to deck Catacomb as he touched it. He was sick of being hit today. Giving up, he decided to just go to the park, and sleep amongst the stars. Resting against a tree, Perry snored slightly, causing Catacomb a small amount of grief. He rested against the opposite side of the tree, staring up into Luna's night sky. The soft sounds of nature were able to drown out Perry's snoring, helping Catacomb fall into a nice slumber. He laughed on the inside slightly, only wondering how the hell he was going to explain it all to Perry. He figured he should leave the Applejack part out of it though. He was probably going to get it for the lightning round he fired at him as is. He chuckled again, happily drifting off finally into a peaceful slumber.