//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Cantorlot Republic // Story: Freezing Dawn // by Necro Atom //------------------------------// A light blue 1957 bel-air with blue classic rod rims with white wall tires and a white roof pulls into a parallel-parking spot in the slums of New Cantorlot. The car sitting low to the ground with it's side-pipes shuttering to a stop as the engine of the car is turned off. All the windows completely blacked out. Across the street sits a building. An old Textile factory now used by a mob boss. If you get him drugs, you get protection. Protection not scared to kill innocents. A drug deal was recently struck. A self-driving van pulls up in front of the Textile factory. The side door slides open and 2 ponies get out. Nodding at the 2 guards by the door and heading in. They walk up stairs as two mobsters investigate the bel-air. One of the ponies knocks on the door to the office of the Textile building, which allegedly the entire top floor of the 5 story building. The mob-boss speaks from the other side of the door. "Come on in!" The mobster opens the door and heads in with his buddy, lifting up a paper bag. A smile grows across the mob boss' face. He motions them over. "Come on let me see the good stuff." The Mobsters bring the bag over and places it down in front of their boss. He stands up and opens the paper bag, inside is a plastic bag of "Cocaine." The Mob Boss makes a glee full noise. Grabbing the bag and lifting it out. "It weighed exactly as they said." One of the mobsters comments, they all hear a beep and the Boss looks in the bag. In the bottom of the bag was sitting a small silver disc, about 4 inches in diameter. A red light in the middle. The light turns to blue and the Boss' eyes widen. Outside one of the mobsters is lifting up a brick with his horn to break the window on the old Bel-air when he hears a loud explosion behind him from the Textile factory. He drops the brick and swings around, the glass from the windows is flying outwards from the force of the explosion, 2 feet of stone on the walls is also exploded outward in a perfect, large circle. Causing the roof to fall and collapse onto the rest of the building, crushing the floor under it and some of the 3rd floor. The Bel-air roars to life and the wheel turns, the tires start to spin and some flame spurts from the side-pipes as the car takes off, it accelerates so hard that the back bumper scrapes against the ground. The roar of the engine making the car sound angry. The 2 mobsters that were investigating it look at each other then run after the car as it drifts around the corner. They round the corner but the car vanished. Not even the engine sound is audible. The '57 uncloaks as I turn it into a lot, passing the a fence gate which automatically closes behind me. I drive through the lot, passing 45'' Drive vans and autonomously driving lot rigs as I head to a large garage door on the back. The large door starts to open, revealing the matte black 1997 Peterbilt 379 behind it. I turn a bit and drive beside the truck, which is plenty of room, turning into the large warehouse where the Cantorlot Republic holds base. The most secure hide out in New Cantorlot. To our knowledge of course. I pull my master piece onto a lift. Shutting it off and putting the key in the inner pocket of my dark grey-ish black denim jacket. Black leather driving gloves on my talons and the print Gryphon Autos on the back of my jacket, between the wing holes. I open the door and get out, closing the door behind me as I head into the office of the old Auto Repair shop, which services now as Zap's little heaven. There are also Soda machines in there. Zap doesn't seem to be in his room but his van was missing as well. His van roughly looks like a 1982 Chevy G20. "Well look who's back from their joy ride." A joking female's voice says from the door way to Zap's room. A smile dawns on my beak a bit and I look over, Synthesizer leaning in the door way. Only 34 but already having some grey in her mane. I look back to the soda machine and pushes in a Bit. Pressing the button for the Black Cherry soda as I respond. "You know damn well that wasn't a joy ride Interspace." I grab the soda as I chuckle a bit. "Though The '57 seemed to work well and that cloaking tech Zap stole is amazing. Where is Zap anyway? He finally take Sader out on a date?" I open my soda and takes a few sips from it. Interspace walking over and playing with a Luna Bobble-head Zap has. She turns her head to me with a roll of the eyes. "Please, you know Zap only goes for mares way out of his league." We both share a bit of a chuckle at that. "Also I am pretty sure he has an eye on that Candy Chip mare. The Hacker from the Sunjackers?" I forgot about her, The Sunjackers. Could be a rival group.. But it's not the police so I am pretty sure we're friends. Plus that Atom Smasher mare is pretty cute looking... "You did never answer my question on where Zap is though, and i'm guessing Sader. It's rare one of us leaves alone." I say, when I just left alone a few hours ago. I... Hope she doesn't bring that up. "You are right about that, Zap and Sader are scoping a place out. Some storage garages. You know what i'm talking about right?" I nod, odd that they be scoping a Self-Storage place though.. "Well the place had an increase in guards recently, about a day or two ago. A little birdy told us that some of the Big Corporations are moving a large shipment of Heliodryl. But they are trying to do it discreetly with moving trucks." THAT's why their scoping out a Self-Storage lot... "Isn't that... A bit dangerous?" I look at her, sitting down as I drink some of my soda. She looks back at the Bobble-head. "Well... Yeah. Quite dangerous in fact. But not if the crooks don't know you're doing it. Then it's rather safe and less obvious than an armored truck. You know?" She smiles at me. I like where this is going. But it well be hard to rob the truck with out getting much attention. "Smart... Very smart. Also a lot easier to rob." She nods. "I'm a bit hungry from testing out The '57. Can we go get some food?" She looks at me and nods. Turning around and heading out of the room. I stand up and follow her. Closing the door to Zap's office then turning around and following Interspace, which is heading to a car which looks like a 1988 Chevy Caprice Classic. We... We really like Chevrolet. I get the passenger door for her then gets in the driver side myself, starting the car. It's nice V6 coming to life quite satisfactorily. I back it off of the lift I park it on and turn around carefully, driving out beside Interspace's truck and through the open garage door. The door closing behind me. The car glides smoothly across the road, once a Caprice always a Caprice. The Autonomously driving cars next to me on the highway. Interspace, who decided to wear a jacket, is playing a bit with her unloaded gun. An Albatross .67 Assault. Chambered in Gryphon .67 Striker. More commonly known to ponies as .45 ACP. The .67 Assault is a very similar style to the Calf M1911 that the pony military used for years in the early to mid 1900s. Though of course the .67-A is made for talons, the grip and trigger under the slide, a single talon is required to pull the trigger. All that's needed. I my self carry an Albatross .67 CC. (Concealed Carry) which is pretty much the same as the Calf Commander just made for Gryphons. Interspace's Albatross Assault is rather special though, a gem was infused with the metal of the supposedly cursed weapon. A stone that corresponds to another stone, a stone on a pendant. Both the gun and the pendant's stone is a dark, midnight purple. The actual necklace and wrapping around the stone is Sterling Silver. Any creature, Pegasus, Unicorn, Zebra, Gryphon, anyone who wears the pendant can wield the gun as if they were levitating it like a Unicorn would be able to. This adds as an advantage to a Pegasus like Interspace. She doesn't need to mouth-wield a gun like most. Such as Zap does with his stun gun. There are rumors that the gun is cursed though, the one with the pendant comes to an early death. I myself am concerned for Interspace since rumors such as these have come true but she doesn't seem to worry about it so I never talked to her about it really. I soon pulled off the Highway and turned onto a normal road, parking in a parking lot of an amazing taco restaurant. I open Interspace's door for her and helps her out. Heading around the car and getting the restaurant's door for her too. "Such a gentlegriff." She smirks at me with a slight tinkle in her eye and goes to find a seat. I sit down with her. A waitress giving us both menus then heading away, letting us browse. "Hey Hilt, Call Geskenk and Sader. Maybe they can meet us here." I nod and pull up my left fore-leg. Rolling up my sleeve to reveal the matte black metal under neath. A hologram appears from a little panel that opened on my foreleg. I start swiping trough it with my right talons till I get to contacts, calling Zap. I can hear the ringing through an ear piece in my ear. The zebra of topic picks up. "Hello?" The pleasant voice of Zap asks over the phone. "Hey Geskenk! It's Hilt. Synthie and I are at that Taco Place I love. We were wondering if after you and Sader were done shopping you could come here to talk." "Oh, well... Last time I went there the Big Bang happened in our lavatory but... The mares that work there are rather cute yes?" "Geskenk.. we need to talk business alright? You can check out mares after we get our next Paycheck alright?" The zebra chuckles on the phone. "Okay okay. Sader and I are on our way Hilt. Do keep Synthesizer entertained until we get there, I don't want her all cranky from bordem again." "Of course. See you soon." I hang up the phone, we tend to use our real names in public since there are always cops listening. They know me as Mars, Synthie as Interspace, Geskenk as Zap and Sader as Runner so... We're good. The waitress returns. A young unicorn. Maybe 20 at most. She levitates a notebook and pencil next to her and asks with a rather cheery tone. "Hello, i'm Straw Bed and i'll be your waitress today! How may I take your order?" Interspace was looking at the menu but then puts it down. I know what I want already. 'May I have a Xtra Cheese Chalupa and a Grape Destiny please?" The waitress nods then turns her head to me. "I'll have two Meat Lord Tacos and a water with a lemon please." She nods and writes it down, going to take the menus but I stop her. "Actually we have two on the way, can you leave the menus here?" She blinks a few seconds then nods. "Of course." She turns around and heads away with our orders. About 10 minutes later a G2000 catches my eye. Looking out the window I see Zap turn into the parking lot in his van. Parking next to our Caprice Retro. Zap and Sader get out of the van. He locks it then they both walk in. A few seconds of looking around and me waving my wing Zap and Sader come over and sit with us. Zap smiling. His grey suit still looks nice as always and his black tie rather stylish. His mane is brushed back into a pony tail. Sader is wearing a black track jacket like I used to wear. "Ah, I sure do like this place." Zap comments, the waitress returning and giving Interspace and I our food. She looks at the two new comers and Zap speaks up before she can ask anything. "2 quesadillas and 2 Destinies please." The waitress opens her mouth then nods, heading off again. Sader and Zap come here a lot and eat the same food... Zap then turn his eyes to me. "So... About talking business..."