The Black Cello Mafia
Chapter 1: A Politicians Dreams.
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October 30th
Octavia was sitting inside of the carriage in her cleaned suit. The windy air from the chilling season coursed through Octavia, making her shiver and pull her collar up. The carriage was headed towards Filthy Rich’s apartment, and Octavia wondered what the special training was. Filthy had explained to her that she would be taught stealth, advanced combat, and some type of weapon management when she had arrived to her new apartment. Her old apartment was still renovated fro another month, so she would crash there if she needed to. Already having moved all her belongings to her new house, she had her old bed kept in her room, while the new apartment had a king sized bed already installed.
The stallion driving the carriage stopped in front of the apartment building, and Octavia got out, paying him the bits. He nodded, and trotted away while Octavia walked up to the lobby. Stepping into the chilled elevator, Octavia saw the Unicorn cop that had raided the Speak walk up to the receptionist, determination lit upon her face.
What is she doing here? Octavia thought as the elevator closed and ascended to the 30th floor. The elevator emitted a chime, and Octavia walked into the warm hallway, the glass door of Filthy Rich’s office staring her in the face. Octavia opened the door to see Filthy Rich on the phone.
“Yes well, I have another appointment right now,” Filthy said waving Octavia to sit down on the blue couch in the far end of the room. “Send her when I call. Thank you.” Filthy Rich said, hanging the phone.
“Well, it looks like I won’t be coming to help you practice.” Octavia nodded, still wondering what the training was and why the purple Unicorn was in the apartment building, but not questioning her boss. “But, you will be going to a firing range that also has a set up for the mission you will be operating tomorrow.”
Octavia stared at Filthy with an arched eye brow. “Firing range? What will I be firing?” Octavia asked.
“A sniper rifle. Specifically a Springfield modified to be better use for sniping, longer barrel, scope attaches, that sort of thing. Now, the range is down on Morton and Henry. It’s a really tall and wide building, can’t miss it. There will be a debriefing there, now go.” Filthy picked up the pone again. “Send her up now.” Was all he said.
Octavia walked to the elevator she took, but it was already in use. Walking to the other elevator, she rode down, now wondering why she needed to use a sniper rifle for a mission. Walking out onto the streets again, she took another carriage to her destination.
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Octavia sat while looking up at the gigantic building. Faint sounds of gunfire could be heard coming from inside. Deciding to finally go in, Octavia stood up when a loud clang rang out above her head. Looking up, she saw a metallic glare for a split second but disappear the next. Octavia backed up a few steps, but finding nothing, Octavia flailed her head around, trying to see if any ponies had heard the same noise. No pony seemed to be alerted, so Octavia shrugged and walked into the firing range. The sounds of the guns became louder with every step she took; coming to a large glass both with a wooden desk surrounding the outside and inside, and a muscular stallion in a black shirt was sitting behind it all.
“What’s your place here missy?” The stallion said in a gruff voice.
“Filthy Rich sent me.” Octavia stated her business. The stallion nodded, walking out of the door in the back of the glass booth. “Follow me.” The stallion told Octavia.
Octavia silently followed the stallion up stairs located to the back of the building, traveling what seemed like two flights. Octavia stared in wonder at all of the guns that lined the wall, sparking some sort of wanting to try them all. All metallic and glistening from the shining lights hanging from the ceiling.
“Hey! Over here.” The stallion snapped Octavia from her fantasies. Octavia now noticed she was in a room with a short ceiling. The wall of guns lined the ending of the stairs, and a wooden bar was erected from the hard wood floor with a gun cradle in the middle. The stallion shouldered what looked like the Springfield to Octavia, and carefully lodged it into the gun cradle. Finishing the mount, the stallion motioned for Octavia to come over and look over the bar. Hesitant to come forward, Octavia had sparked the wondering she had before for what all of this was. Reluctantly walking towards the bar, she peered over and observed the set before her. A complete dark room aside from two large lights illuminating 80% of it, a stage was erected along the right wall, a podium facing the opposite wall to the left, a large space between the stage and the wall it was facing, and a array of cardboard plates everywhere.
Octavia eyed the podium suspiciously. A single card board plate stood behind the podium. Octavia turned to the watching stallion. “So…if I would have to guess, I have to assassinate whoever that pony is behind the podium?” Octavia asked, scratching her neck. The stallion nodded.
“This set is to practice for your mission tomorrow. You are eliminating the senator for Manehattan.” The stallion informed.
Octavia dropped the Springfield she was inspecting with a loud bang. “THE SENATOR!? I’m going to be lit up by the time I shoot him!” Octavia exclaimed, shaking her head.
The stallion shook his head instead. “No, you didn’t let me finish. This bar it supposed to represent the cat walk you will be aiming from, the set represents what will be going on. The lights are off because this rally from the senator will take place at night, and you will be in complete darkness. This sniper does not have a silencer, but during the mission, it will. From where you will be, you have a full view of the entire stage, and even have a clear escape way,” The stallion paused for a second, pointing to the stairs. Octavia looked back and saw the stairs against the wall. Octavia nodded.
“The security there will be cops and a personal bodyguard. Now, at this rally, you must kill the senator, escape, discard the Springfield, and report back to Filthy Rich. Got that?” Octavia nodded to the stallions explanation. “Now, practice.”
Octavia lined up the rifle, going back to when her father had taken her shooting. Lean forward, eye close but distant, tucked in tight to the shoulder, and… Octavia waited a moment, letting her aim stable as she took a deep breath. With a quick motion from her hoof, the entire room rang out a boom as the head of the cardboard senator flew to the other side of the room.
The stallion behind her was nodding his head approvingly. “You’re going to do this twenty more times.” Octavia sighed but didn’t object. Should have seen it coming.
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Octavia rung her shoulder around, stretching the cramp it was forming out, and waved goodbye to the stallion behind the glass booth. Octavia looked up to the darkening streets of Manehattan. A chilly wind hit her on full force, making her brace up, and run as she called out to a carriage. The wind was broken from the walls and roof of the carriage when Octavia stepped on. Telling the driver where she lived, she payed him five bits.
It was now 9:00 in the afternoon, the light from the sun completely out. Octavia trotted quickly up the steps to her new apartment, swinging the door open. Octavia smiled, looking around at her home. “This place never gets old.”
A large glass over view of the city was all the way at the back of the living room. A fireplace. Much bigger and decorated than her old one, was placed in the center of the left wall. Cotton and silk blended couches were scattered around, and the white dyed manticore pelt lay neatly on the waxed hardwood floor. A bar that had the Mafia’s assorted drinks was on the right wall, and a spiral staircase residing next to it. Walking up to the second floor, her new king bed was jutting out of the wall. Soft downy pillows and cover blankets were worn on the bed, with a traditional wooden bed stand with a simple lamp on top next to the bed. The varying colors of the city stood out to Octavia’s large window as she clambered onto the bed, pulling the covers over her tired and cold body, she listened to the soft crackling of her fireplace.
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October 31st
Octavia woke, the sun just barely over the skyline of buildings. The cleanest day for a killing. Blue skies, white doves, and a variety of ponies milling about the streets.
Octavia slowly pushed the covers onto the other side of the bed. Stretching while standing on her hooves at the same time, Octavia saw a red balloon ascend the sky. Watching it slowly fly upwards, Octavia looked down and saw a mass of balloons show the Equestrian flag colors. A giant flock of ponies stood about the stage that was standing tall in the October. Octavia kept watching, finally realizing that the night was Nightmare Night. She sat down with melancholy striking her, remembering her simple life, and that she was supposed to be her day off.
Octavia snapped her head back up, standing as well. “That’s not my life any more; better to do what I need to do.” Octavia dressed in her suit, brushing off the dust that had collected from the firing range’s sniping range. Octavia set out to Filthy Rich to conduct business, and to discuss her post assassination plans.
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“There will be the Equestrian Anthem playing, and on the last line of the chorus, you take two shots to his head, to make sure he will die. And so, when you get back here Octavia, you lay low for a couple of days, and then you can go, as long as you don’t get caught.” Filthy Rich explained his exact plans.
For awhile now, Octavia had seemed doubtful on the entire mission. A chance of getting caught was high, and she would have to work faster and harder just to escape from all the cops that would be chasing her.
“There will be a carriage waiting around the corner of the adjacent street that would be left from your escape point. From there to your old apartment, you are on your own.” Filthy Rich added.
Octavia raised her eyebrow at the new information. “Oh? I thought I would’ve had to run for my life.” Filthy Rich shook his head in response. Checking his watch, he called out. “It’s already 8:00, now we’ve spent the entire day scoping out the pep rally, we discussed it all, and went around half of the west section of Manehattan, now go. Do your job.” Filthy Rich ordered coldly.
Octavia made a grunt in her throat from annoyance, getting up to leave the building.
Back down at the lobby, she saw a streamline of carriages on the street in front of the building. It was only six blocks away that the pep rally was taking place, so Octavia had time to stroll. The wind had picked up in the amount of time she had spent in Rich’s office, the coldness amplified against her fur. Lights were shining brightly above the farther buildings, and a loud wave of voices could be heard from the pep rally to the walking Octavia four blocks away. Turning the corner, Octavia finally saw the pep rally.
On the stage were chairs, with seemingly politicians sat. An old mare, some old stallions, and a young stallion with a leather duster on. The vast array of colors from the audience of ponies vexed Octavia’s eyes. To the right of it all, there were several parked police carriages, acting as a wall for the pep rally. Octavia backed up a few steps, and looked up to the stairs that were said to be. Walking up the wooden, damp steps, Octavia thought about how she could easily fall. A simple misplaced step could have her careening to the ground. Octavia forced herself to calmly step the last few steps, fear of actually falling to the ground. Standing on the rooftop of the building, Octavia eyed the set before her.
A single bar had been stuck to the ground, and a similar gun cradle was shaped into the middle. On the side was a long, black case. Octavia walked up to it and opened the heavy case. A polished metal Springfield with a silencer attached to the end of the barrel was rested firmly in place to the felt covering. Octavia pulled out the rifle with the strap attached to the back, and settled it down on the cradle. It made a satisfying thud, and Octavia laid forward to hold the gun in a comfortable position. Octavia took a look into the lens for the layout.
The pep rally was a carbon copy to the set. If not everything was wider, the wind was present, it was darker, and ponies were talking so loud It seemed like there was just one, really over hyped pony with giant muscles. Most likely from compensation syndrome.
So Octavia looked around the pep rally, taking in the ponies faces. Octavia was looking for one pony in particular, the purple Unicorn. Finally, moving the scope to the stage, Octavia saw her walk up the steps and speak to an old stallion. They talked for what seemed like two minutes, before the stallion approached the stage and the Unicorn cop took a seat with the other police. The stallion cleared his throat close to the microphone, making all of the audience calm down.
Looking up from the podium, the stallion began to talk. “Hello, residents of Manehattan. I am your current senator for our fine city, and I am again running for the seat. I have served this city well, working in almost every kind of way I could have. I have worked hard labor, I have seen hard ships, I have even been kicked down to the bottom in my younger life. And so, as I rose to the seat as a senator, I had an over view of what working in a large city is like. It is hard, and I have already proven that under my watch, the city is a much more beautiful and prospering place.”
All of the ponies that have supported the former senator cheered, lifting up signs and giving any kind of support they could. The senator spoke again. “And now, the Equestrian anthem.”
The entire audience calmed their cheer, as the symbolic words of the national anthem began to escape the speakers propped to both side of the stage.
Stomp your hooves to the drum,
For today, the war has come.
Octavia lined her shot to the senators head, preparing her body for the savage recoil the sniper would soon produce.
We now live in peace and harmony,
No more do we suffer in agony.
Octavia Took a sharp breath, scratching the walls of her throat, and readied her hoof on the trigger, anticipation and pressure growing in her chest.
And on this great day we look up high,
And kiss our worries good bye.
PKA PKA. Two rapid cracks shook the air, causing ponies in the audience to scream as they saw the head of the senator explode into gore. Messy bits of brain and blood flung across the stage, landing on mares and stallions standing by the left of the stage, causing them to faint or throw up. Octavia shouldered her gun as fast as she could, hearing ponies scream out and flee in terror. Octavia heard the faintly familiar noise of the purple Unicorn call out to her to halt. Running even faster, Octavia hopped down the stairs with clumsy motions. Hitting the ground with pain shooting through her hooves, Octavia pulled her shirt over her face, to conceal herself from the screaming ponies around her. Bullets flew past her snout, hitting the brick wall above her head and showering her in debris. Some ponies were pointing out the large rifle on her back; others were running away from the gruesome mess. Octavia turned the corner, and eyed a stallion having a cigarette next to a carriage. Octavia turned and ran towards him, hoping that this was the carriage that Filthy Rich had promised her.
“Hey! We gotta go!” Octavia screamed to the now aware stallion. The stallion nodded, flicking his cigarette and fixing the reins into his mouth.
Octavia leaped into the back seat, more pain searing her hooves and back. The stallion quickly sprinted away, leaving the mess behind. The noise of screaming ponies faded into the brisk night, making Octavia relax. Focusing on the rifle, Octavia shrugged it off, and began to disassemble it, piece by piece. The barrel, the stock and trigger, and then the scope all came into a collective pile of metal and death. The stallion pulling the carriage slowed down, and Octavia looked outside the carriage to find her old apartment building. Quickly shoveling the gun parts into her saddlebag, the mare hopped off of the carriage, the stallion immediately leaving in a hurry. Octavia watched him go before turning on her back leg and darting up the stairs to her old apartment. Slamming the door open, Octavia heard distant sirens sound out into the night. Lights from outside of her kitchen window showed the police searching the streets behind Octavia’s street. Octavia flew into her room, opened her closet, and dumped all the metal bits of her weapon on to the floor of the closet. She shut it closed and locked it with a key, sliding down the stairs again to escape to Filthy Rich’s apartment.
Octavia stepped out to more sirens blaring to the west park, and Octavia hurried along the street without a hesitant thought. Octavia trotted quickly down the street, coming up to the Speak of Applejack. The upper stairs office was illuminated, showing the behind of Applejacks desk from Octavia’s point of view. Octavia slowed, looking up into the large window to see Applejack with a disgusted, angry, and determined face. Octavia could see the ponies mouth move, signified her talking. Applejack changed her expression to enraged, and took a step closer to whoever she was talking to, mouth moving a mile a minute. The earth pony finally walked all the way forward, shielding her from Octavia’s curios gaze.
Octavia’s trance was broken by the screech of wheels, and looked behind her. A police carriage was sloppily parked behind her, the Unicorn nemesis Octavia had gained now looking directly at her. The Unicorn took a intimidating step, causing Octavia to take a step back.
Both mares looked at each other, both in a stare off. And in a second, both ponies broke out into a full sprint. The Unicorn had apparently drew her weapon, firing rapid shots at Octavia’s legs. Octavia weaved through them, but slowed her down in the long run. The Unicorn knew advanced magic, pulling Octavia back towards the purple mare. The cop tackled Octavia to the ground. Octavia reacted quickly by turning on her back and launching a quick hoof into the mares snout, and kicking into the ribs. The mare seemed to have a high pain resistance, drawing her own hoof, and giving two quick hooks to Octavia’s cheek. Octavia gasped as the mare stomped her hoof into her diaphragm, making her sputter and become winded.
Octavia fought through the lack of air, kicking of the mare and climbing to her feet. Octavia charged into the Unicorn with her shoulder, smashing her back into the brick wall. Octavia stood up straight and slammed her head into the mare. Both ponies cried out in pain from the attack, and both fell to the ground exhausted. Octavia opened her hurting eyes to see a police carriage and an ambulance pull up to the side walk on the other side of the street. The ponies from the ambulance walked up to Octavia, while the police walked to the unicorn. The paramedics were unicorns, one pulled out a dark syringe, and stuck it into the vein in Octavia’s neck.
Oh fuck me with Celestia’s horn. Octavia thought when darkness consumed her vision, falling into a cold and dark abyss, pain fading from her body, and passing out from all consciousness, feeling the scorn form the purple Unicorn.
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Octavia woke slowly to a slugged white room. She was out of her suit, and in a green gown. She parted her painful eyes to see herself lying in a hospital bed, and a machine that tracked her bpm next to her, beeping every second. Octavia shifted her cloudy and pained head to look to the right of her.
A giant stallion with a gruff beard and pistol holster under his legs stood next to her. He had a short black mane with grey stripes running through it, and a equally short tail that was the same. He was a faded dark green color, and after putting her neck in strain, found he was a normal earth pony. The stallion wasn’t facing her though, he was talking to a unicorn doctor next to the in front of the bed. They exchanged a few words Octavia couldn’t hear correctly before the doctor noticed she was awake.
“Oh hello miss.” The doctor looked over the clipboard. “Octavia! Seems like that small fight you had with the commissioners detective last night gave you some injuries.” The doctor cheerfully told her as the commissioner turned around to look at her. He stared at Octavia with sharp green eyes, making Octavia want to punch him for making her uncomfortable.
“Well, lets see what they are,” The doctor continued in the same tone of voice. “Ah. A strained diaphragm, a small fracture to the skull, and minor bruising to you snout.” The doctor listed off her aliments, putting the clipboard back on the hand desk next to her, and bowed out of the room, leaving Octavia with the staring stallion.
It was about ten seconds the commissioner stared at Octavia before he spoke. “So…killed the senator, wounded my detective all in one night. Not to mention being involved with the Mafia, killing other cops, killing two earth pony con men, and resisting arrest on multiple grounds.” The stallion asserted Octavia in an extremely deep and rough voice. “These are the only crimes that records have been made of.”
Octavia slumped her head back to her pillow with dread growing in her chest. Octavia opened her eyes again, and looked over to the commissioner. She stared at the expressionless stallion for a few moments. “Why are you here besides reminding me of my wrong doings? You going to take me away?” Octavia said in a nonchalant tone while raising her hoof up and dropping it.
The commissioner stood up and walked half way out of the door. Octavia watched him walk all the way there, confusion striking her face. The stallion said something while craning his neck to the right of the door. The stallion turned back around and sat next to Octavia again. Octavia stared at the commissioner, raising her eye brow in confusion. The commissioner snapped his head to the door as hoof steps sounded under the door way. Octavia turned her head to see the purple Unicorn with a bandage covering her ribs, and a large bruise on her cheek. Octavia sighed loudly.
The purple Unicorn walked up to the foot of the bed and sat down. “My name is Lt. Twilight Sparkle. You are now incarcerated by the Manehattan police department and now under commissioner Red’s command.” Twilight said in a serious and commanding tone.
Octavia opened her mouth slightly and kept her eyebrow in place. “What?” She asked in baffled tone.
The commissioner cleared his throat, making Octavia and Twilight to turn their heads. “You are now a prisoner of the police department. But you aren’t going to prison.”
Octavia replaced confusion with curiosity. “What do you mean? That doesn’t even make sense.”
The commissioner walked up next to Twilight and explained. “For all of your deeds toward the city of Manehattan, harming it in extreme ways, you were captured more than you are being imprisoned. During the…incident, Lt. Sparkle here tracked you down, and was aiming to turn you in. But when you fought, you both suffered a serious smashing to the head, causing both of you to be semi conscious. After that, we took you here, and it’s been a day since then. As for your result for being a massive criminal, you will be a mole.” Red the commissioner explained.
Octavia lay back in her bed but raised her eye brow again. “A mole? What do you mean? What’s that?”
The commissioner’s facial expression hardened with frustration. “You will be a spy on the Earth pony Mafia. The former senator had a dream of making a better, safer city right? Well, you’re going to do just that.”
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Well, that was certainty fast. This was the first planned plot direction i made before i even started writing, and i am seriously proud of myself for getting to it. I said i was going to give it my all, but apparently my all is a lot more than this was put to, but i did have to keep going back to make changes.
I'd like to ask a question of my readers: How is my writing? I feel like sometimes i am not being very thorough with my descriptions, and its more like i am speeding throughout the entire story. Like i am not taking my time to carefully write it out. And how are the action scenes? I'm curious of what you guys think.
I will most likely begin writing again tommorow, but i still have to plan out the chapter so yeah.
Thanks for reading!