The Black Cello Mafia
Chapter 4: Of Kings and Liars
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October 21st
“What are you doing here mother!” Octavia demanded, now sitting in the doorway of her apartment, staring at her intruding mother.
Octavia’s mother looked around the apartment studiously, trying her best to look innocent and naïve. She snapped her head back to Octavia and fixed a stare. “Octavia, you are to come home at once!”
Octavia sat all the way up and fixed a stare of her own. “No.” Octavia’s mother, Steel Beauty, had her mouth scrunched in anger. “What do you mean no!” She said, raising her voice.
“I have money,” Octavia said throwing her bag of bits to the ground. “I have a home,” Waving her leg around to show emphasis on her apartment. “And I. Have. A. Life.” Octavia finished.
A pause took place as Octavia finished her defense. “Where did you get that?” Octavia’s mother asked in a accusatory tone.
Octavia raised a hoof to her chest, eyes rounding a bit as she was caught off guard by the question, and not wanting to tell the truth.
Steel Beauty gasped slightly. “You got that at that....shady place, didn’t you!”
Octavia shook her head. “No! I got it from doing a gig at a small party!” Octavia said in defense.
Steel had a look of suspicion on her face. She straightened her back and said “Well, if my daughter is a striper, let her str…” Steel Beauty trailed off, sniffing heavily. Steel stood up, and walked over to Octavia.
“
Mother, what are you doing!?” Octavia exclaimed as Steel Beauty sniffed at Octavia’s mane and neck.
Steel Beauty stopped and looked at Octavia affrightedly. “Why…you smell like blood!” Octavia’s mother kept sniffing, Octavia now dead still from her mother’s discovery. “And alcohol! Why do you smell like this Octavia?” Steel Beauty demanded, now frightened. “And your ear! What happened to you?” Octavia shifted her back legs from the pressure of her mother, and froze at the feeling of Buck moving out of its holster and clinking against spare bits inside of the saddlebag.
“What was that?” Steel asked, flipping up the saddlebag with a lightning quick hoof. Octavia shut her eyes and braced herself against the inevitable scream.
“A GUN! COVERED IN BLOOD! OCTAVIA STEEL, WHERE IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS UNDER CELESTIA’S SUN DID YOU GET A GUN!”
Octavia turned on her front legs, and jumped back. “I need this gun mother. For….” Octavia couldn’t think of any reason besides for self defense and killing.
Steel Beauty’s put her head between her hooves. “Octavia….” She muttered. Steel sat for a couple moments longer. “You are coming home, and you are going to get help. For you’re…WHATEVER that gun was used for, and you’re drinking problem.” Steel Beauty ordered.
Steel Beauty started walking towards Octavia, like a doctor at a psychiatric ward. Octavia started to back up, bumping in to the table. “No mother. I’m perfectly fine here. And what goes on in my life is none of you business.” Octavia drew out slowly.
Steel Beauty continued walked towards Octavia slowly, eyes bugged out, and mouth slightly open. By Celestia’s flank! She’s going mad! Octavia hit the wall with her own flank, and slid down to the floor, cowering as her mother staggered towards her.
Octavia thought of only one thing to do. Jumping up, Octavia quick drew Buck, now loose from the holster, and placed the end of the barrel in-between her mother’s eyes. Steel Beauty snapped out of her trance, and crossed her eyes and the cold metal now pressed firmly to her head.
Steel Beauty was stuttering her breath and tearing up. “O-O-Octavia, don’t!” Steel Beauty screeched.
Octavia’s face turned from frightened to deadly, stitching her eyebrows, and clenching her teeth as she made a stance, pressing the barrel harder into her mother’s eye bridge. “Mother…LEAVE.” Octavia spit like venom.
Steel Beauty now had tears streaming rivers down her face, staring right into Octavia’s eyes. “W-w-why? Why are you d-doing this?” Steel Beauty stammered. “Don’t you care? Don’t you have any soul, or feelings?” Octavia’s mother pleaded.
Octavia increased her grip on the handle of Apple Bucker, putting the pressure on full force. “I don’t feel a thing right now.” Octavia coldly retorted.
Steel Beauty’s breath hitched in her throat, and she backed away. Without saying a word, she turned and galloped out of the room. Octavia dropped Buck to the ground, falling on her flank along with it. Collapsing fully on the ground, Octavia quickly passed out, fatigue overtaking her entirety.
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October 23rd
“Ah, so you’ve fully recovered!” Mugs called out to Octavia as she walked into her local Speak, now dressed in her new suit and ear hole patched up completely.
“Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good.” No I’m not.
“You weren’t called were you?”
“No, I came for a drink” Yeah, to drown my sorrows.
“Well, then what’ll you have.”
Octavia took no time to think. “Scotch on the rocks, 4th shelf.” Scotch with ice, high value.
“Whoa ‘Tav, trying to drown yourself again?” Mugs asked compassionately.
“Yeah, and keep ‘em comin’.” Octavia spat.
“Okay well, that’ll be 20 bits.” Mugs, in his usual bartender voice told Octavia.
Octavia walked up to the bar and dug out 20 bits, throwing them on the table. A moment later, Mugs came back levitating a scotch glass, filled halfway, and placed it next to the now sitting Octavia. Octavia quickly swiped it and took a quick, but big gulp. Slamming down the glass, she motioned her hoof again.
“Sweet Celestia ‘Tav! Doin’ that shit will destroy your throat!” Mugs scolded Octavia.
“What did I say Mugs? Keep them coming.” Octavia said with her head bent. Mugs poured another glass, and Octavia repeated the same move, gulp, slam, motion.
Mugs snout scrunched up in frustration. “Alright, time to distract you with something. There is a new attraction in this Speak.”
Octavia slowly moved her head up. “What, besides a person giving money to get drunk?”
Mugs flung his hoof to the left of the bar, and Octavia turned her head. She eyed what seemed to be a poker table, six chairs surrounding it, and an open box of new chips and cards placed at the center. “A poker table?” Octavia questioned obviously with an eyebrow arched.
Mugs turned a grin as Octavia turned her head. “Yep, and I’ll send some guy’s to play you.”
Octavia looked back at the table and pondered a moment. She turned her head back to Mugs and nodded. “Alright, but pour me another glass.” Octavia agreed whilst starting towards the poker table.
Octavia sat down on the chair facing the entire bar, and took out chips, adding into 1,000 bits. Shuffling the cards, Octavia saw four other ponies walk up. Two mares, Unicorn and Earth, and two stallions, Pegasus and Earth. All of them sat in the other empty chairs.
“Alright my little ponies,” Octavia said while dealing out the cards. “I’m first deal; goes counter clock, we’re playing hold ‘em,” Octavia paused as she gave the last card. “Chips are 1,000, ante in is five, five chips equals one bit, we play for keeps.” Octavia looked up at the ponies around her, all of them nodded, determined looks on their faces. “Alright, here we go.” Octavia finished as all the ponies picked up their cards, and started to play.
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Octavia lit another cigarette, and took a quick swig of her fourth scotch. Toned down from 4th shelf to first, she was hardly tipsy. The late afternoon that started the game of poker, now turned to early night, Luna’s stars showing brightly through the black blanket of space.
One pony had already busted out, and another was going to follow his place. Octavia looked at her hand to the cards on the table. Three of a kind in aces. Octavia thought, suppressing a smile. She raised the pot from 236 chips to 250, and the two ponies folded, except for the pony Octavia was targeting. The mare called her raise, showing the last card, and showing the mare’s grimace.
Octavia raised the bet one more time, from 250 to 270, giddiness rising in her chest. The mare fixed her poker face, and went all in, igniting the bust that was bound to happen.
“Three of a kind, aces.” Octavia declared with a smirk.
The blue mare huffed and showed her cards. “Two pair, fives and sevens.” The mare fetched out her bag of bits, and threw them on the table, walking away with her head down. Octavia took a long drag on her cigarette, pulling the rest of the chips the mare had. Alright, I’m doing well, but this other stallion is catching up.
Octavia looked back to her pile of chips, now at an astounding 1789 count of chips. Octavia lit another cigarette as she put her current out, and took another sip of sin. Octavia was dealing again, but stopped as a chair to the right of her squealed. Octavia looked up in mid drag, at Applejack sitting down, a gin and tonic in her hoof.
“Howdy Octavia, playin’ hold ‘em?” Applejack said, looking at Octavia.
Octavia nodded, cigarette bobbing up and down. Applejack looked at the glowing cancer stick in her mouth. “Since when did you smoke?” Applejack asked, eye brow arched.
Octavia took the cigarette out of her mouth and blew behind her. “I always have.” She shrugged as she answered.
“If you’re playing, 1,000 chips is the start, five chips is one bit, and we’re playing keeps.” Octavia said while balancing the cigarette in her mouth.
Applejack nodded as Octavia pushed the chips toward her. “Alrighty then, let’s play.”
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“Starting to get a little drunk there Octavia?” Applejack jeered at Octavia.
Octavia had drank three more glasses of scotch from the pressure of the game of poker, and was now almost black out drunk.
“Oh I’m getting,” Burp. “There.” Octavia replied.
Octavia put out her cigarette and lit another. The pot was now at 1089, with both Octavia and Applejack liable to go all in. The other two ponies that had played them had already busted, thanks due to Applejack. Octavia pondered a moment.
Celestia….Luna….Discord….Ten…
Octavia drunkenly thought of the three face cards residing by her hand and the table. Stitching her eyebrows, Octavia flicked her gaze to and fro the table and her hand. “Any time now sugarcube.” Applejack said nonchalantly to Octavia.
Octavia stared at Applejack. “Alright then.” Octavia said coldly.
Octavia pushed all her chips as a raise, and Applejack put all in as a call. Octavia picked up the last card and laid it on the table. Perfect.
“Check.” Octavia called.
“Check.” Applejack confirmed.
Applejack and Octavia stared at each other, treating the last hand of the game like a Mexican standoff. “Count of three.” Octavia told Applejack as she nodded.
“One.”
“Two.”
Applejack and Octavia were both breaking into sweats as they both called “THREE!”
Octavia flipped her two cards, Celestia; King, And Discord; Jack.
Applejack flipped her two cards, both aces.
“ROYAL FLUSH!” Octavia declared in a now raising voice.
Applejack blew heavily from her snout and sighed. “Three of a kind, aces.”
Octavia couldn’t hold the drunken smile she was now producing. She started to laugh uncontrollably. Applejack stood up and looked at the rolling Octavia with a smile. “Here you go sugarcube, 200 bits.” She said throwing the bag of bits on the table and walking away.
Octavia stood up, a thousand bits richer. She piled all of her money into both saddlebag pouches. Applejack stood outside the door leading to her office. “Mugs, take Octavia back to her house, I’m afraid what she’ll do all that money.” Mugs nodded and trotted towards to Octavia.
“Come on ‘Tav, you’re too drunk to have all that money, time to go home.” Mugs said as he levitated Octavia up into the air and carried her outside.
“B-b-but my drink!” Octavia cried out as she floundered inside of Mugs magic field.
“You can get another drink tomorrow missy, you’re going to bed.”
Mugs carried Octavia all the way up to her bed, and put her under the covers, falling asleep almost instantly.
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October 24th
Octavia pulled the covers even farther above her head as the sun passed over the window sill of her bedroom. Her head was pulsing and hurting the most it had in a long time.
Getting up with her eyes closed, she shut the window and closed the blinds, making her bedroom extremely dim. Doing the same with her four other windows in the entire house, she was now able to walk freely without pain striking like air raids on her head. Just as she made coffee, her head started pounding again when the phone began to ring. Sighing, she trotted over to answer it.
“Hello, what do you want?” Octavia asked rudely.
“Is that how ya treat a superior hun?” Applejack retorted on the other end.
Octavia face hoofed at her own stupidity. “No, sorry. My hangover is really bad.”
“Yeah I know, you drank tons last night. Before I tell ya why I called, go check your saddlebags.”
Octavia arched an eyebrow, but didn’t object. She walked back to her room with the phone to find her saddlebags lying on the bed. She opened them up, and gasped as she found the 1,000 bits she had won from the poker match the night prior. “1,000 bits?!” Octavia exclaimed.
“Yep. You are sitting on 1,000, but you’re going to have to spend 500 of it today.”
“Why?”
“Come to my office, and then we’ll explain.” Applejack said before she hung up.
“We’ll? Who’s there besides her?” Octavia asked to herself. Quickly dressing in her new suit, she trotted out of the door with 500 bits jingling in her saddlebags.
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Octavia stood outside of Applejacks office, and knocked on the door. “Come in Octavia!” Applejack could be heard behind the door. Octavia opened the door to find Applejack sitting on the floor next to a brown stallion with greasy slicked back hair.
“Octavia, this is Filthy Rich, he is the father of the Earth Pony Mafia.”
Octavia’s eyes rounded as Applejack introduced Filthy Rich. “Hello mister Rich. Nice to meet you.”
Filthy Rich stood up and shook hooves with Octavia. “I like her already; she called me by my right name!”
Octavia sat down next to Applejack when she motioned her over. “Pardon me for asking,” Octavia started. “But why am I here and spending half of the winnings I made?”
“Well, I have recommended you to Mr. Rich here for the work you’ve done so far, already handling yourself well within the first two weeks of a new member. And, since you swindled our customers, and me, out of our bits, you will be spending it to help the mafia.” Applejack responded.
“Helping how? Why would I need to spend 500 bits?” Octavia asked a second time.
Filthy Rich was the one who answered.“Remember the Speak we lost because of the undercover Manehattan P.D. unicorn?” Octavia nodded. “Well, we are using the 500 bits you made to fund all the important requirements for the next one we will be opening.” Filthy finished.
Octavia nodded. “I understand.” She dug out the bag of 500 bits she had in her saddle bag and dropped it at Mr. Rich’s hooves.
“There is a way for you to earn it back though.” Filthy Rich said, bringing Octavia to look at him. “You know how working for Applejack, my second in command is.” Octavia nodded again.
“Well, she has recommended you to be a right hand for me, saying that your operations through pressure are some of the best we have. A good shot and a good thinker. You will also be going under special training to help you with specialized missions. Do you accept to be a right hand for me?”
Right hand? Special missions mean higher pay. I do like working here, but… Octavia kept thinking until she thought to stall a bit.
“How much pay?” Octavia asked.
Filthy rich smiled. “You are a good thinker. Three times what you are paid now.”
“What kind of special missions?”
“Undercover, assassinations, political persuasion, and bulk shipments of products.”
Octavia thought before answering the first question. “Aside from pay, what do I receive as a benefit from this?”
“Well, you get a new apartment, you get to command members in this mafia, send them on missions and such, and you will have a account in the bank that shares ¼ of my personal wages. Only for missions though, you are forbidden to use it for personal needs.” Filthy Rich listed and finished.
Octavia’s jaw dropped from the amount of privileges she was given. All of that! Commanding, a large wage from one of the richest ponies in Equestria, and a new apartment!
Octavia looked to Applejack before answering. “Good ahead sugarcube, I’ll still be around.” Applejack said wistfully while patting Octavia’s shoulder.
“Alright. I’ll take it.” Octavia said standing up to shake Mr. Rich’s hoof.
“Wonderful, come with Applejack to my office tomorrow, I’ll give you the key to your new apartment, and you can get started on your new assignments. Goodbye!” Filthy Rich said as he walked out of Applejacks office.
Octavia turned to Applejack. “Thank you Applejack.”
Applejack nodded back to her. “No problem sugarcube. I’m not you’re superior anymore now that you are a right hand of Mr. Rich, so…do you wanna play some poker?”
Octavia smiled and walked with Applejack down the stairs. “Sure thing.”
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I am really cracking these chapters out. Anyway, this is the last chapter of Blood and Family.
Act 2: The Mare About Town and The Manehattan P.D.
Stay tuned for Act 2, Thanks for reading!