//------------------------------// // Back Into the Crap // Story: Waters: Equestrian Gangster (Original Version) // by King Genesis //------------------------------// W "I should have crushed those kids." We are now in the car heading to the Amphitheatre. Jack is now the one driving due to Abe not being able to see beyond his anger right now. "I... I know it's bad. I'm an old guy, they are still young, not even 18 years old, there is also the fact that Rarity was looking at me but... those kids. If somebody from Maretreal talked to me like that he would have been already on a grave. They behave like that because they think they can't lose anything by being next to Cattle Prod." "They can't," I say. I'm being honest right now, looking at the world we're in. "I mean, Abe... Cattle Prod is, until what we know and all we saw, Bloodswan's nephew... Bloodswan controls the box we're in so... he can do anything he wants. He trapped us." Abe doesn't say anything and Jack turns to the right corner where I can see a sign on the sidewalk that says AMPHITHEATRE AHEAD. I can see two or three more houses until a big green space appears. I turn my head to look at what I have towards me and I find a huge building with no roof and a scenario that looks like it has the shape of a shell. Before getting into it, there is a parking lot on the right where we head into and park. The place is neither full nor empty... there are just a couple of cars sitting in there. Jack turns off the car and we stay in silence for a second. Abe raises his shoulders and says: "So now... what do we do?" He turns around and looks at me. "What did Eye Patch tell you?" "He told me to wait for him here. The Amphitheatre of Canterlot." Jack and Abe look at each other. "Are you sure? This is the amphitheater's parking lot, not the scenario itself. What if they told us to wait inside the theater?" "Uh, honestly... I don't know." I have to tell the truth because I have no idea. "He didn't tell me further details. He just said... we had to wait for him at the Amphitheatre." "Then, just in case, we've got to get out of the car and enter." Abe opens the door but doesn't get up from his seat. Jack is about to do the same but stops when he looks at Abe. Then, the grandfather turns his back again to look at me. "Tell me again about that... three part Eye Patch told you about." We are going back to that... and I don't know how to describe it because I still haven't understood it. "I... I also don't know why. He said he had talked to Big Baby for a deal and then he... made something with him and someone else." "And do you know who is that someone else?" "No." "What if it's Bloodswan?" says Jack, biting a lip. "What if it's him?" Fear strikes my spine when I hear that... but I don't know if that's possible. Bloodswan, that guy, hardly ever comes out of his big house and private place where he lives. Why would he speak with my boss and Big Baby on Canterlot, a city that he rarely steps into? He would never move to another place to speak... we always have to do that job for him. He's the guy. "Bloodswan?" says Abe, raising an eyebrow. "Him getting out of his chair and moving somewhere else? That's impossible for me." "It may be the exception for his nephew," adds Jack, making me more nervous. I try to distract myself by closing my eyes, taking a breath, and looking out the window. And that's the moment I saw him. He was standing there, spinning around the same three cars in the parking lot, smoking a cigarette. He almost looks like a lost child looking for his mother. - - - - UNDER EDITION - - - - Ok, I've just been arrested by the police and from nowhere I'm with Ron, Gordo (who are capos of the Equestrian Mafia) and Mortimer Blueblood (a governor who I recently found out he is corrupt) in a limousine. Wow. Now they are talking about a project related to those infamous Elements of Harmony. That new guy Larry, who's holding a weird stone, shouts: "I found one! I found one!" Ron and Mortimer Blueblood turn around while Gordo sighs. A purple light comes out of the stone. "Purple! What does that mean?" asks Ron. "Magic. The stone has found the Element of Magic," he answers, but after saying those words the light disappears. The stone is now completely black. "We lost it," He says, and silence spreads in the car. "Don't worry," says Mortimer Blueblood, while smoking the same Cuban cigar he had when he arrested me. "Anyway, fellas. Let's go back to our plan, we'll use these elements of harmony to rob Las Pegasus' Fort." "WHAT?" I shout. Let's be honest, guys, stealing that fort is freakin' impossible! Im-po-ssi-ble! "Fuck no!" shouts Jack. "We are gonna die in the first step! All of us!" "I agree with Jack," says Abe. "Lots of men died because of that bank's security, even sovians." If you don't know, the term sovian refers to Plegovich's henchmen, now thank me for being your dictionary! Oh, and speaking of sovians, Pietro is next to me, confused and without saying a word. He doesn't know where is his spot in this conversation. "What do you mean with rob, are you going to steal something?" asks Larry, confused. "Duh, douchebag, yes!" says Gordo. Larry's face changes and looks at all of us. Then, he attacks Ron. "Fucker! I took care of you!" shouts Ron. All of us find out that Larry has Ron's gun on his hands. He grabs it and points at us, although it seems he doesn't know how to use it. "Come on, Larry! You don't even know how to use that gun!" Ron says. "Why did you put me in this project?" Larry answers. "The police will arrest me, I don't want to go to prison!" He tries to leave the limousine by jumping through a window but Mortimer and Gordo grab him. "Listen, you," says Mortimer. "I am the man who controls all the police, so, unless you commit genocide, you won't be arrested. Understand? You will never be touched by a policeman if you are with us." Larry calms down, but his anger is still showing on his face. "I don't know why am I helping you to commit crimes. I feel... like a changeling." Like what? What's a changeling? I want to ask him that but surprisingly, Pietro opens his mouth and says his first words inside this conversation. "Hey, Larry, I'm not sure that I'm the best man to tell you this but... um... don't you wanna be rich?" Everybody looks at Pietro now. "I mean, uh..." he says. "I don't know why am I here but... I think I'm here because I'm part of this project, and I shall give my opinion on this... Don't you want to be free all your life? To don't work?" Larry looks at him. "Yeah, but... I don't want to do it killing people!" "We are not going to kill people," says Pietro. "We are going to rob a place. Just think about it, have you ever been against the system? This is your opportunity to demonstrate your anger!" Larry starts thinking and looks at everyone. Mortimer looks at Pietro with a smile. "Um... I wasn't born here but... I do have some resentment to Mayor Mare because of some things... um, look. Thank all of you but, I think I'll abandon this project." I sigh, and I look at him. "Please, Larry, please! This is not a toast, where you can decide what to do! This is a fuckin' gangster project! If you abandon this, you will return anyway because this is your only way to survive in this Equestria!" Jack interrupts me: "This is not the other side of the mirror. This is another Equestria, where we are the only men that know you. If you leave this car and try looking for an apartment waiting for the thirty moons, you will last a couple of hours. That's my word." Both Abe and I agree with Jack. Larry releases a long sigh and wants to cry. "Ok... if you say that, then... I'm in." "You made the best decision of your life," says Mortimer. "Or the worst," Interrupts Gordo. The governor looks at him. "Do you still believe that the Elements don't exist?" he says, angrily. "Don't you remember what happened in last year's Friendship Games? Incredible magic appeared on Canterlot High and nobody knows why." "The holders may be near or in that school if that's true," says Larry. Suddenly, the car stops and I look through the window. I look at an enormous mansion where three familiar men are drinking a glass of wine, who was served by also a familiar face: A blonde, pale guy. I thought that guy was Prince Blueblood, Mortimer's son, but I find out he has a scar on his chin. I recognize that scar, and it carries me to the past, to the orphanage. If you are still trying to guess who is that guy, it's my brother, William. William and I may be brothers, but we are completely different. He is the gentleman, while I am the street guy that survived through the mafia world. He was adopted by the Blueblood family when I was almost a year old. (Yes, I remember his scar when I was a year old). Anyway, he's a gentle and rich gentleman who was raised by the Bluebloods, which also means that he's a greedy and selfish motherfucker, like Prince Blueblood. I get down from the car and I find out those three men are the Barnes, the gun sellers who were beaten up by Abe. The grandpa gets down from the car and looks at them. "Calm down, Abe. They won't hurt you," says Mortimer, while all the gang gets down from the limousine. "Was this reunion necessary?" asks Jack. Mortimer, Ron, and Gordo nod their heads. Butch, Gordo's right-hand man, parks the limousine near the mansion. Mortimer's Mansion All of us enter the mansion and we are welcomed by William. The moment that all of you were waiting for: William and I look at each other and I smile at him. "Oh, crap," he says. "Yeah, Willy Boy. Did you miss your cooler brother?" "Man, what the fuck are you doing here?" he says. Um, well, I am now inside a project where we may rob the hardest place to make a heist. "He's inside my project, William," says Ron, behind us. My brother's face completely changes. "Are you still in that world, Walter?" asks William. I tell him, with a deeper voice: "Yes, bro. Don't you think? I'm here with Ron Delight, Gordito, I didn't come by my own. I'm a gangster. I'm Bedmaker." He sighs. "I bet you entered that shitty world because of our parents, right?" I nod my head, and he grabs his face, emitting another sigh. "Calm down, Will," I say. "I can survive by myself in this world. I'm young, strong, tough and sexually active!" Ron grabs his face while William still looks at me. I do know why Ron is still being here, though. He wants me to do something, so I greet my brother again and I leave the entrance room with Ron. "What's the matter, Ron?" I ask. "Here," He lends me a sheet of paper with names on it. "Write your name." What? I think. I read the sheet of paper, that says: FORT/COMMISION DELIGHT: CAPO. PLEGOVICH: IN. He doesn't want to appear in public, so he sends his nephews as representatives: Lucas and Pietro. I don't know why Pietro is inside. He's not a gangster. GORDO: IN. Along with Butch. BLUEBLOOD: IN. I can't believe this shit! BARNES: IN. The three of them. THE RICH FAMILY: IN. Only Filthy Rich! CONSIGLIERES: TYLER, A. FLANKS. "Where am I?" I ask. "You are inside the Commission's consiglieres." "Like always," I answer, and then I put my name next to Abe's. "If this project is successful, those men in that list will be your new friends, W.," he says. "Ugh, being friends with a guy named Filthy Rich. I don't even know him, but he seems to be an idiot." "He's an idiot," He answers with a smile. "But he's useful. He has a lot of power under his armpits." Living Room Both of us enter the living room, where all of the men that were inside the limousine with me are sitting at the table. There are lots of drawings from the fort. For instance, the fort from outside, from inside, from the back, and others. I sit between Jack and Pietro. The kid seems to be very confused, and he demonstrates it when he slams his fist on the table and stands up. "Can you tell me why am I here? I just don't understand this whole situation!" Then, a man opens the living room's door. It's a green-skinned, skinny guy with dark hair and he is also emitting an evil grin. He also has a tattoo on his neck: Two swans, one of them is red and the other one is yellow. That colours, that fucking colours... "Lucas? Brother?" says Pietro. "What is this? Why I was called to a robbery?" He sits down and smiles at all of us. "Uncle wanted you to start in this world, you will have a spectacular future if you decide to participate in this robbery. " "But, I don't know anything..." "You will learn, Pietro. Every gangster starts like a piece of shit, and then, that shit turns into gold, day by day." Mortimer stops their conversation, and Ron starts talking. "Ok, you may ask why I invited you here, at Blueblood's house. Some of you know, and some others don't know what this whole thing is about..." LATER... Outside Ok, it's almost 3 P.M. and this conversation has just finished. The only important thing to highlight is that I'll stay with Abe and Jack in Canterlot High AGAIN, because the elements may be inside that school. That sucks! And do you know what's the worst? I don't know how long I'll stay there, fuck. There are other important things to highlight, like the fort itself. Not only that place has magical security, but also there are trained guards that work all day and night. Ron thinks that these guys are charmed with an invincibility spell, so it would be really hard to fight them in case they discover us. We have to be cautious and silent during the robbery, but at the same time we can't, because the magic from the elements may destroy half of the fort in seconds. We were planning to destroy the fort from a further place, but we later found out that the magical security can create on these cases a shield that covers the whole building. The only way to do this is by releasing the elements inside, and that can be hard, way too hard. "Ok," I say. "Can we at least go to Los Mantos on weekends? That school is closed on Saturdays and Sundays!" "Yes, why not?" says Ron. A smile appears on my face. "Anyway, how do we get out of here?" says Ron. "Butch will carry you, don't worry," says Gordo. "We'll leave you on Canterlot High, except for you, Ronnie. Oh, what about my meth, Ron?" Ron's face changes to a more serious one. "Oh shit, I forgot... I'll pay you tomorrow, maybe. Five million, and that's it?" FIVE MILLION? WHAT'S THAT, GOLD METH? Oh... unless he bought Lima quality, that's an expensive one. Then, Gordo closes the mansion's door and stays there. We are now waiting for Butch to come out. Suddenly, my phone starts ringing and I don't know why. I look at the screen and it says: "Gimenez" Ron's partner from La Lima? What happened? I decide to answer the call. "Hi, man. What happened?" That phrase calls Ron's attention. "Thank Star Swirl, W. Finally someone answered, Ron didn't answer my phone calls." "He does not have his phone here, why?" "I have bad news, really bad news. Please, if Ron's with you, pass it to me." "Oh shit, man. OK." "Pass it to me," says Ron. "I've already listened to him," he tells me while I give him my phone. "Hi, Gimenez. What happened?" Oh, man. Ron's face changes, he seems to be dead inside... You should see his face! It is shocking! I approach my phone, and I listen to Gimenez's voice, that says: "Hopkins left, I don't know why but... he did it! I called him lots of times but he doesn't answer! He left with the money you gave to him! The money you wanted to save for you and your pals! He disappeared with it! That's what I call a fucking betrayal!" "What? I... was going to pay Gordo with that money, how much did he steal?" "I don't want to tell you the number, Ron, just... go after him. "How much?" "Look, Ron..." "HOW MUCH?" "Twelve million bucks. They disappeared like nothing." Oh, that's a high number. Ron ends the call. "What happened now?" asks Jack, in the middle of a frightening tension. "Hopkins. He betrayed us and left... with 12 million." Jack's mouth opens, he doesn't believe it too. At the same time, Butch comes out with the limousine's keys and we get in the car. All of us don't say anything. Canterlot High I'm now at Canterlot High's entrance, along with Jack and Abe. Hopkins, Warloff Valley's controller, disappeared with 12 million dollars, I mean, he took a shit on our heads. That also means that we can't stay in our apartments for a long time, because they are near Warloff Valley and we used to be protected by Hopkins, the same man that betrayed us. On the other hand, no one dares to open that school's door, because we think that Celestia will receive us with a kick in our balls. And guess what. The door is opened, and a lady comes out of it: It's Vice-Principal Luna. "I've heard of that sarcastically spectacular show that you did this morning," she says. "Did you really have a gun, all of you? To confront an 18-year-old kid? Shame on you." I feel ashamed because of those words. She is right, I think that drawing my weapon in that situation was completely stupid... Well, Pietro had a gun too. "Listen, uh, lady. He had a gun too." I say, and she sighs. "Yes, I knew that, but I couldn't do anything. Anytime I want to punish him, his uncle appears to threat me and my sister. It drives me mad." She looks at all of us, angry. I don't know why, but I think she knows another thing from us. Something that could destroy us, does she know about our jobs? No, I shouldn't think that. It's impossible. Nobody knows! "What are you doing here?" she asks. The three of us look at each other, like if we were little children. She nods her head and emits a little chuckle. "I know why you came here. Something happened with your boss and now you are looking for a hut in Canterlot, right?" What is she trying to say? I look at Jack and he is thinking the same thing as me. "Um, look. Yes, we had problems with our car store in Los Mantos," says Abe, in a desperate way to break the tension. "And we were looking for a motel." Luna smiles at us. "You don't work at a car store, liars. You work for the Pirate." My blood instantly freezes at the same time she says that. My skin colour fades to white. Jack looks at her, shocked, and Abe gasps. "U-um... What are you talking about?" Abe says. "Come on, Abraham, don't be so stupid. Did you think that my sister and I thought that you were just a friendly mechanic? I know you have nicknames and all." "Oh, yeah?" I say. "Say my nickname, then." Jack and Abe look at me, and Luna smiles at me and answers: "Sure, bedmaker." Oh. We fucked up, I tell myself. I feel my hair covered with sweat. Will she call the cops? Probably yes! "How did you know that?" I say, and after that, she starts laughing. "I was just expecting that question from you, Mr Waters. We discovered your nickname through Snips and Snails' autograph." Sssssshit... Jack and Abe look at me, confused. What the fuck did you do?, maybe thinking... but, how? I didn't sign that. "At first, Celestia and I found out that the Bedmaker legend talked about a dangerous man who made beds for men to rest forever. All those stories came from Los Mantos, where the famous Pirate was ruling the city. With a little bit of research, I found an article in the Public Library that talked about the Mantos' Pirate and his assistants. Guess what, the three of you are mentioned as the Heretic, the Bedmaker and Tough Moustache. There were no photos of you, but relating this with Snips' and Snails' autograph, who told me you were the Bedmaker, W, we came up to a conclusion." That's what I call an investigation. The three of us look at each other again and we know that we are completely screwed. There's no escape or backdoor behind us, they know who we are. "Really?" says Abe. "Who wrote that?" "A man called Ground Invader." Ground Invader. It seems to be a very familiar nickname. I look at Jack, trying to find a solution, but Abe is looking at the floor, he is thinking. Who is the Ground Invader? Then, he lifts his sight to the sky and emits a groan. "Ground Invader. I remember that nickname from somewhere... and I know who is him... he has just betrayed us. Surprising." tells himself. I look at Abe's face. Did Hopkins write an article about us, why? If he wanted to destroy us, he could have easily called the police as an anonymous. I... just don't understand this. "So, what are you going to do? Call the cops?" I ask her. I thought she was going to nod her head, but she starts laughing. "I won't, guys. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Ok. That phrase left us more confused than we were before. What was she talking about? The enemy of my enemy? What kind of enemy is she talking to? "What? What enemy are you talking about?" asks Abe, in a very confused voice. "You know, Canterlotian Mafia," she answers. "Ground Invader's article said that you were in a war with them." Alright, this is getting more confusing. If Hopkins wrote an article to show our nicknames, why would he lie? The only theory I have in my mind to answer this doubt is that he may have listened to Ron's project along with the Canterlotian Mafia, but he understood that we were making that project against them. "Yep," says Abe, lying. Ironically we are working with the Canterlotian Mafia and our objective is to keep an eye on this school. "May I know why you consider Canterlotian Mafia as an enemy? And also why are you helping us? You know you can be arrested for doing that, right?" "Listen, Mr Flanks. Celestia and I will help you because of things I don't want you to know, and also... I don't want to see Rarity and Sweetie Belle's faces at the moment they find out her lovely grandpa is a gangster." I feel a lump in my throat after hearing that, and I'm not Abe. She releases a long sigh while he looks at us pitifully. "Ok. There is a motel at the left, two blocks away. I'd like you not to come here lots of times, especially you two, W and Jack. I have enough with Abraham entering Canterlot High to check out if Rarity is OK or Sweetie Belle is better after that horrendous situation she went through." She grabs the door and waves at us. "Good afternoon," she says and closes the door. The three of us stay in silent, in the same place. In only ten minutes, lots of revelations appeared and destroyed all of us from the inside. They do know! All because of Hopkins and his completely confusing articles! I'm the first one that moves from his place and looks at the left. Today was a long, long day, and I hope that this motel would help me to relax and to think about all of the things that have just happened. LATER... We finally arrived at the motel. I thought that it was going to be just a squared room with a shitty bed, but it turned out to be pretty decent. Even the cheapest motel from Canterlot is better than the most expensive one from Mantos. The administrators gave us a little room for a couple. I lost a bet and now I'll sleep on the floor. I thought that it'd be the worst place to sleep, but it turned out to be comfy, because of a carpet that lies in the room. Of course, I washed it a little bit before lying on it. Later, at Midnight Luckily, in the fridge, there were some phone numbers from pizza shops. We ordered a nice pizza and we finished on our beds. I made a bed, using some blankets, a pillow, and my carpet. I lie in my home-made bed and I start to think. I'm inside this city, to look for some mysterious elements that may not exist, inside a school. I also don't know anything about this city, except for the schools inside it and the fact this place sucks. I do know that Gordo, Canterlot's man, is with us, but he is too busy to show us how Canterlot is in real life. If I want to look for another "guide", for instance, a Canterlot High Student, they will answer me with a wider vocabulary, instead of the words from a fat gangster that usually appears in public. "Hey, I have an idea," I say. Both of them look at me. "I was thinking that if we will stay in this fucking city for a long time, we should at least know the most important places inside it." Abe looks at me, confused. "Why?" he asks, while Jack agrees with him through his sight. "I don't feel that I'm in a city if I don't meet their most famous landscapes. I also do this because of Gordo, I just... don't trust him, especially with the drug problem. It'd be cool to know a place where we could hide." Both of them stare at me and think about the situation, they know I am right. Gordo may be totally mad now because of his meth and Ron's problems with it. Now, with this Hopkins situation in the middle, things will get worse. That means he is not so reliable with this problem running around. "And who will be our guide, W? We don't know anyone who can help us." I smile at them and say: "Well, I do." Canterlot High, next morning I hope my plan works. I woke up early and I came to Canterlot High alone, without Abe and Jack behind me. My main objective right now is looking for Sunset Shimmer, because she is a different person with others. Students here only know the nice part of Canterlot, and Sunset Shimmer may know the nice part and also the dark side, especially because his cousin was Red Punch's freakin' daughter. I enter the school and now the atmosphere is different. Everybody looks at me. Boys, girls, teachers and also the Principals are there looking at my face. Those famous little kids, Snips and Snails, who told Celestia and Luna my nickname, appear and greet me from far away: "Hey! How is the Police Department from inside?" Celestia approaches me and touches my shoulder, confused. "What are you doing here?" she asks, "Um... I was looking for some fresh air." I answer. Really, W? Don't you have a better answer to make, pal? I approach her face and I say: "Um, look... I was looking for Sunset Shimmer for a thing we talked another day, and just calm down, because it does not have to do with any of my works." Celestia leaves me and nods her head. "Go ahead, and then leave." says with a smile. While I walk through the hallways, Snips and Snails keep asking me questions. "Hey, kids," I say. "I came for the fire-haired girl, you know where is she?" All the students keep away their eyes from me but they are listening to what I say. Suddenly, I feel a hand touching my back and I hear a sexy chuckle near my neck. I turn around and I look at Trixie Lulamoon, the weird girl. "I thought that you would never come back, W." Oh, now she calls me W instead of inferior. What a surprise. "Yeah, I came back because of something that I need." "What? Magic tricks?" she asks with a sarcastic smile. "No. Information I could only get from a special person, and that's not you, Trix." She frowns and looks at me. "Oh, really? I am the girl who knows absolutely everything that you want to know!" she shouts and goes away. One of the kids grabs my jeans and apologizes. "Sorry, she's a little bit nervous today. She needs to calm down." "No, little kid. She does not need that." I say while I look at the Cafeteria's door. "She needs a long and funny night with a human stick. You know what I mean." "Um..." says Snails. "You mean fingers? Why would she play with fingers?" I don't answer to their question and I enter the Cafeteria, only to find out the nerdy girl is there, flirting with her boyfriend. Her dog looks at me and smiles. He runs to me while she goes with her new couple to look for food. "Hey," I tell him. "Where's Sunset Shimmer?" His face radically changes. He looks at me with sad eyes. "She's not here, she is looking for her cousin. Rumour has it that she disappeared and left a note." Shit, shit, shit. Shit2. That thing means that she was murdered by somebody, and Ron would never do that, especially to a young girl, even if it's Red Punch's daughter. "Why do you want to look after her?" he asks. I try to answer, but a cold hand touches my shoulder. It's different from Trixie's. It's colder and a bigger hand. I turn around and I look at a bald man with a piercing in his nose and two big ear expanders. "Hey, Walt. How are you doing?" I know him. At the same time I recognize him, my blood just freezes. To be continued...