Chapter 2
Octavia was sitting in the first class coach in the train to Manehattan. It usually took two days of travel, so she was going to have to deal with sleeping in a moving vehicle. Not something she was looking forward to.
Metal was drinking a mug of coffee. He had somehow managed to carry her across Canterlot, help her pack everything, and carry several suitcases weighing several pounds and still be able to avoid breaking a sweat.
He put his mug in the table that separated the, and went for his jacket. He pulled out a chrome cellphone and began dialing some numbers.
"Hey Black, how's it going? Really? Awesome! Hey I need a solid for old time's sake. I quit my job in Canterlot and I brought a friend who can play the cello better than that snob you have at your dive." He looked at Octavia and signaled her to remain silent. "Don't believe me? Then I'll bet you a barrel at Tapper's that I'm right! Also we need a place to crash. Don't worry, it's just for a few days. I promise once we get working we'll be off your hair. Really? Thanks buddy, I owe you one! Sayonara." He said as he hung up.
"What was that about?" Asked Octavia before sneezing again.
"That was about getting us settled and getting you a job." He smiled as he handed her a tissue. "The sooner we can get your career started in Manehattan, the better." He said as he got up from his seat. "You might want to get some rest now, it won't be an easy trip and we've been awake for a whole day now."
The cellist looked at him and shrugged. "I'm not sleepy."
"Those eyelids say otherwise."
"I not sleepy." She answered before unleashing another sneeze.
"That's what all rock stars say. Don't worry, I got you covered." He placed Marcy in the overhead compartment and went for a nylon guitar case. Metal hoisted her on his right shoulder and grabbed his case with his other hand.
He crossed two cars before he got to the bunk car. He dropped Octavia in one of the various top bunks and looked for a seat. He took out an acoustic guitar and began playing a soft melody.
"I will not fall asleep you know?" She said with a yawn. No matter how much she struggled she felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier until she succumbed to the sleep.
"Nothing soothes the heart better than a guitar." Said the roadie as he sheathed his guitar.
The medley was taught by his father, who used it to lull him into sleep whenever he would get restless. By using the soft tune he could empower the strings with mana so that the magic could induce sleep.
.oOo.
Metal spent the next few hours playing with Marcy, tuning her and sharpening the edges.
He imagined that this was going to be a long trip, and he had little to do. Sooner or later he was going to run out of chores, so he had to find something else to do.
Some hours later he was asking the attendants for directions for the local bar, every train had them. He was surprised when he crossed five cars, the bar was full of people. And this was three cars long.
After ordering a beer he only found one place left. It was in front of a passed out woman with blue electric hair and a white T-shirt. A pair of thick, oval, black-framed, purple-tinted glasses were laid in front of her, next to a pair of large headphones and an empty glass. He noticed that her face was buried in her plate, which smelled like a burger.
He neared her, hoping to remove her plate before she suffocated or something else.
To his surprise the woman bolted upright as soon as he touched her plate. She began looking around her, her magenta eyes scanning her environment.
"Hey man." She said with a cool voice. "How long was I out? And why do I have ketchup in my face?" She tasted some of it, then she looked down. "Oh, of course."
"Are you all right?" Asked Metal with concern.
"What? Yeah of course! Why wouldn't I be?"
"Cuz I just found you passed out with your face stuck in a..."
"Have you seen a tall, green haired guy? With clothes that look like rags?" She said without any regard for her situation.
"Can't say I have, just got here, and this is the only available table."
"Damn that bastard! He promised he would come back! He probably spiked my drink. No way I would pass out with just one beer!" She started snorting, as if she were a mad bull.
"Calm down, I'm sure you were just bored, when was he supposed to meet you?"
"At two o'clock."
"It's five past five."
"Asshole." She answered.
"Excuse me?" He asked.
"Not you, I'm talking about my date, Green Hornet. Bastard probably left me as soon as he had the chance. I'm too big for him."
"You sure you only had one glass?"
And before she could answer she fell down again, this time the left side of her face taking the full blow on the bun.
The bartender came by, and with a grin said. "You in charge of her?"
"Not really, I just wanted to enjoy my drink and this was the only place available." Responded Metal with a shrug.
"That girl drank down at least two kegs of draft beer, she has been sleeping for three hours now. I saw her come in with that guy she mentioned. The guy payed the bill in advance, just left her here."
"Don't it seem odd?" Asked Metal, his mind thinking of an explanation.
"What? She passing out? Not really. One time a guy slept for the entire trip, had to wake him up with a bucket of cold water. Heh, that was hilarious."
"I meant that some stranger buys two kegs of beer and leaves. Shouldn't he have taken her away?"
"He said he would be back later, but so far he hasn't returned, probably never will. It tends to happen."
"Which part?"
"The drinks. Most men wanting a quick love do this, although I've never had this peculiar scenario happen. They usually see this as their investment, so they rarely let this happen."
"Then I better get this girl to bed, otherwise she will get herself into trouble. Is there anything she still owes?"
"Nah, she paid in advance. Probably knew what was going to happen."
With a grunt Metal started moving her out of her seat. He could feel her heart, so at least he knew she was still alive. She was lighter than Octavia, probably a kilo or two.
He set her on his shoulders and started working his way through the train. He walked at a steady pace, hoping that she wouldn't hurl in front of the innocent passengers.
To his luck, she didn't. But he noticed as he set her on his bunk that if he wanted sleep he would need to go for the couch. He grabbed a piece of paper, wrote down instructions for her and pasted it on her bunk.
As he returned to the bar he saw a red haired man in a blue overcoat right where the woman was sitting before. He ordered another drink and sat down in front of this mysterious man.
"Ye got a problem lad?" He asked in a rough voice.
"I just want to talk to a fellow passenger. Unless you don't want to. Its just that there are no more seats anywhere." Answered Metal as peacefully as possible.
The ginger looked around. "Aye, tha's a lot of people. What's yer name lad?"
"Metal Riffs, and now what is yours?"
"M'name is Iron Fist." He said as he extended a gloved hand.
Metal met his hand. The leather was cold, but very comfortable. "A pleasure to meet you Iron. What's with the coat?"
"Ye live in Canterlot lad?"
"Yeah, I'm moving to Manehattan."
"No wonder. I'm a Commissioner, probably heard of us."
"The shady cops? Yeah, I've heard of them. Didn't actually know they existed. I thought they were just an urban legend."
"Oh, we're real all right. And we're a pain in any law enforcement's arse." Said the man with a chuckle.
"I like your accent, where are you from?"
"Hollow Shades, but me mum comes from Canterlonia, a country north of Great Bridle."
"Really? Did you ever go to Trottingham, I had a friend who moved there."
"Nah, I haven't been there, in fact, it's been years since I've set foot in the Great Bridle. Better off without the sodding bastards." His last sentence was said behind a glass of beer.
"So, how's The Big Apple?"
"Horrible. The place is flooded with bloody migrants and refugees. Mark my words Metal, something big is happening in Griffon Territory. Sumthin' so big that's getting here to Equestria."
"What makes you say that?"
"Do you have friends in Manehattan?"
"Yeah, his name is Black Heart. You probably have heard of him."
"No shit! Bloody Black is your friend? Figures, that guy's got more friends than bitches. Good thing you got a job with him, cuz there are no jobs anywhere else. Not since those damned immigrants started working at half the price. Hell, I'm surprised I'm still employed!"
"Why are you telling me this? Do you want to scare me out of the city?" Said the roadie as he took a sip on his draft beer.
"Wha? No, hell no. I just got a good feelin' 'bout you is all. Not your average day when you meet a Mage with an attitude. I heard what you did for that lass, Vinyl Scratch. Rather bold of you to defy Jade and his girls."
Metal couldn't believe his ears. Jade was known as the Ladies Man. The only guy to sleep with anyone he wanted. He was the younger brother of Pearl Lance, but unlike his sinister brother he was more of a spoiled brat.
"Dammit, I fled Canterlot to get rid of those assholes."
"Wait a bloody second..." Said the Commisisoner as he scanned the roadie in front of him. "Yer the Metal Riffs ain't ya? The one that humiliated the Lionsguard by pinning their armor to the floor an' beatin' them up?" He chuckled.
"You've heard about me?"
"Fuck yeah! The prick placed a bounty of fifty thousand bounty on yer head, an' twenty fer yer fiery lass alive. He's never had to fight fer a woman this hard. She did a number on him an' he won't rest till he has her as his slave. But, what the hell possessed you ta come to Manehattan?"
Metal began to worry. "Why do you say that?"
"The Precious family practically owns it! They've got all businesses under his control, all ports, they even own the mayor and the future candidate."
Metal became petrified with fear. Instead of producing a safe heaven he had brought Octavia over to the Devil's den. "But what about the Mare of the South? I'm sure she can help us! She hates nobility."
Iron laughed. "I'm sorry, but it's so cute. Ye actually believe that she can help ya? Don't ya read newspapers in Canterlot?"
"Yeah, I know about your intervention, but I assumed she still had some sort of power left."
"And ya planned t'ask fer her help? Lad, that woman would never help ya anyways." Said Iron with a laugh.
"So what now? I can't let Octavia know I've brought her to the wrong place!"
"Don't worry, I know Black Heart, he's a good lad an' his private security force will be enough to hide ya. I'm even willing ta protect ya, but under one condition." Said Iron as he leaned forward
"And what would that be?" Metal said as he approached
"I need you both to testify against the Precious Family, so that we can take the down once and for all." Whispered the ginger. "It's 'bout time someone put a stop to their mischief."