Fallout: Equestria- The Last Sentinel

by Adder1

Reflection Four: Rise and Fall

Reflection Four: Rise and Fall

The storyteller let out a sigh and smiled.

It couldn't have been a more perfect time to start working. There were two months left in the school year, and after that was summer break. We could focus on working full time then, and with that, we could really rake in the bits. Eighteen bits on the hour... heh, now that was a steal. I tell you, even if you were just doing janitorial work- some of which I did, by the way- it was the best job in the whole City of Lights and Legends. Think about it for a moment- great food and drink, awesome music, great pay, and lots of hot mares to sneak peeks at. Even if you were on toilet toil- that's what Vani called it- it was more than worth it.

Seventy-five/twenty-five, I told them. Keep seventy-five percent of the money you earn. The rest goes to the Mumei's central fund. We all worked hard to get there. It would be a sin not to let them reap what they sowed, particularly since our earnings were already taxed. At the same time, we needed to set some money aside. After all, who knows what else the Mumei would need in the future? If living in near-poverty taught me anything, it was the necessity to have something in reserve just in case. And as I learned, we would be having a use for that money later on. Helping fellow members out, refurbishing equipment and furniture at our businesses... paying (He coughed) people off...

Still, I practically became the breadwinner of the family overnight. That seventy-five still left me with a good thirteen-and-a-half bits on the hour, and combined with my parents' income, we were suddenly finding ourselves with a lot more money than... ever. We could have all the things the other families had at long last. Of course we're in the Wasteland now, but think about it for a second. When you found homes here in Junction R-7, how often could you have a dining table and could say it was yours? That's what I'm talking about. For somepony who's never had any other furniture in his apartment other than beds, getting something that simple was a blessing, let alone a television set!

That wasn't the only thing, either. We could eat better, too. We didn't have to eat cheap freezer food anymore- or at least not all the time. We could finally enjoy eating out at restaurants other than the fast food eateries and mom-n'-pop shops. Pretty soon, we didn't even need the food stamps or soup kitchens. We were self-sufficient, all thanks to me. Gave me a sense of pride, and I loved that.

I'm not the only one that benefited from all of this either. Everyone else did too- Zoleks, Sunny, Blustery, Song, Hammer, Pick, and the whole lot of us. The Mumei had it good, and better yet, word started getting around (The storyteller smirked). Back then when we got the jobs at The Lazy Dog, we we had fifty-two members. By the time the new year rolled in, the Mumei were two-hundred-eighty-nine strong. Given we had almost increased our numbers sixfold, I was a very, very happy buck. Still, there were forty-two other gangs in Manehattan other than us. We were still a new fish in a very big ocean. We still had room to grow- a lot of room.

But remember- I was still in middle school at that time. When things hit high school... heh, that was when things really picked up.

Verdana High School was the closest high school in our neighborhood and one that I decided to attend solely on the basis that most of the Mumei were headed there. Verdana was more of an inner-city school, and because of it, it more or less resembled a fortress. Remember- there were forty-two gangs in the City of Lights and Legends, and protests of any sort could run wild in addition. The school buildings were built to withstand a riot- to say nothing of forced entry. With the high, chain-link fence surrounding the perimeter, the blackened one-way windows and the factory-gray finish, Verdana was less green than the name implied. It was less a school and more a prison compound.

Which, given the high prevalence of young gang members, was a fitting description. White Hooves, Cruds, Trinitario, Born Two Kill- that's with the number by the way- and even the South Bucklyn Boys from the other end of town. B-Two-K had the largest gang presence at Verdana. They didn't have a lot, but it was enough so that they were more or less regarded as “owning the school”.

I wanted to change that.

Fourteen-year-old me stepped off of the school bus for the first day of school, taking in the drab, bland, dull grayness of Verdana High. I was less than impressed, and as I headed off from the drop zone to the courtyard to meet up with the group, I was greeted with a familiar sight- a group of older kids headed toward me with smug grins plastered onto their faces. Truth be told, it was more like they were headed toward all of us- as in all of us who just stepped off of the bus- but that wasn't how I saw things back then.

There were seven of them, and at the head was a black-coated pegasus stallion with a well-groomed, brown mane wearing an admittedly snazzy vest. His cutie-mark was that of a cloud sheared right down the middle. He looked out over the new approaching students and proclaimed, “Well lookie here! Fresh meat!” He paused to let out a derisive snort. “Now listen up, kiddos!”

He looked around. I looked around. I think I was one of the few one's still actually paying any attention. He then roughly shoved one of the passing ponies to the ground and pinned the poor buck with his foreleg. Now where have I seen that...? In any case, it sure got everyone's attention- particularly mine. That stunt he pulled aroused some pretty deep-seated fury in me, but I had to reel it in and pull the hook up against the lips to... smile. And I did just that.

“Hey, I said 'listen up, kiddos'!” the big buck on campus repeated. “There we go. Now, all you fresh meat are gonna go to an assembly pretty soon. You're gonna meet all the school faculty, and they're gonna all tell you what they do and how not to piss 'em off, and blah blah blah they own the place. Well, that's all bullshit, 'cause I own the place.” Ouch. He wasn't going to make friends with the few bison I saw around anytime soon. “I make the rules. It's your job to obey them. My word is law, and you follow it or we're gonna have problems, got it?”

Bullies. You just can't go anywhere without running into them. This guy was full of it, I could just tell.

But it was time to take him down a notch.

I just cast a glance around and... smiled. I walked up to the posse and greeted, “Well hello there. Sorry to be a bother, but could I trouble you for your name?”

“Split Skies, and remember it,” the pegasus huffed.

“And a pleasure to meet you, Split Skies,” I said with a nod, concealing the sarcasm behind the smile. “Seeing as you own the school, why don't you just let the poor gentlecolt be on his way,” I indicated to the poor buck on the ground, “and why don't we... walk and talk a while before the assembly? I'd really like to know more about the place, and you're the stallion for the job it seems.”

Split Skies just deadpanned at me. “I don't do favors, kiddo. You do something for me, and then we talk.” He leaned forward toward me, a bit of spittle splashing onto my muzzle. The poor buck he was standing on whimpered from the shift in weight.

Wrong answer.

“Let's just say we'll both benefit from this, Split Skies,” I said calmly, still smiling as I ignored the spittle. All in the façade. “So what do you say?”

“I say I don't do favors, kiddo,” he answered indignantly, “and I say I don't follow orders from some nopony like you. Look at you! You're still a blank-flank!” He let out a derisive laugh and brushed me aside roughly.

I stumbled, but I regained my footing quickly. Just... smile. “Split Skies... do you know who you're talking to?”

“Why should I care, runt?” he snorted with a glare. “You looking for trouble?” As if on cue, the six other ponies took up his sides, likewise glaring at me.

I looked to my left and right casually and nodded toward Split. Zoleks was at my side first, followed by Sunny and Blustery. Split and his crew chuckled softly at first. “Look,” one of them snickered, “blank-flank's got some friends!”

And then came Bowler Hat, Drift By, Wicker Smoke, Hard Gamble, Color Splash, Xienna, Zuboron, Calvin, Taim, Sierra... my smile only grew wider as I watched Split's disappear. Soon, there were thirty-seven of us before him and his less confident group.

“Holy shit, blank-flank's got a lot of friends...” that same one balked.

“Again,” I asked, “do you know who you're talking to?”

Split Skies didn't reply. He was too busy gawking at the metric fuck-ton of people that suddenly took my side.

I went on nonetheless. “Now, I didn't come here looking for trouble.” My smile disappeared. “You, however, did. So let's try this again. No more implying.” I nodded down to the poor buck on the ground. “Get off of him.”

Split Skies dumbly looked down at the buck. The buck dumbly looked back up at him.

“Are you still looking for trouble?” My turn to snort derisively.

Split Skies backed off now with a scowl and glare as he scurried away, backing up toward me.

“That's better.” And now I... smiled. “Now let's walk and talk.”

“Yeah, fuck that,” the pegasus huffed, storming off. “And fuck you.” His entourage shortly followed after, a few of them casting glances back at us.

“Well, that didn't work out quite as planned,” Zoleks said with a slight frown.

“Worked out better than you think,” I said with a grin, looking at the unfortunate buck. He was a maroon unicorn a bit on the small side. “What's your name?”

“Cherry Oak...” he muttered. “Thanks.”

“No problem. How about we meet for lunch, huh? You'll know where we are. You'll see us.”

“Well, uh, sure! Sure! See you then?”

I nodded. “See you then.” As Cherry headed off, I turned back to my own entourage, namely Blustery. “Nice job.”

“No prob, Hokkaido.” He grinned. “Me and Sunny are gonna head off, if that's alright.”

I nodded in agreement. “I think we should all head our separate ways. Remember, though,” I leaned closer to them and smiled wide, “spread the word.”

Remember that the Mumei had some kids a little older than the others. I used that to my advantage to learn who were the big players in the high schools and planned accordingly. In Verdana's case, I wanted to send a clear message that there was a new player in town- me. So I had Blustery, who already attended a year ahead, report to me about the situation. I already knew about Split Skies before I even set foot on school grounds. And I knew I had to knock him off of his throne before I could usurp it. That stunt I pulled? Theatrical? Yes. Ballsy? Definitely. But tell me- were there a helluva lot of kids around watching? You bet. And that word got around. I'd struck a serious blow to Split Skies' so-called “ownership” of Verdana High.

But like Lying said, there's always an opportunity in the aftermath. All I had to do was wait for it to come knocking.

And it came knocking in just a few short weeks. Lucky me.

I was working the early shift at The Lazy Dog, taking my place behind the bar counter serving drinks and light fare. Again, I was pretty much only a weaker earth pony with a rather pronounced bump on his forehead. If I couldn't work my magic so to speak, I could still perform menial labor at the very least. My eidetic memory especially came in handy when mixing juices and smoothies together given the juvie-joint's variety of house specialties. My position also had an added bonus of having a commanding view of the entire dance floor. Though I'll admit I used it on more than one...

...

Okay, more than a few hundred occasions to get some nice peeks, it also allowed me to keep tabs on who frequented the place and who stuck around.

...

Alright, seriously, folks- stop giving me that look! I was a blank-flank-flunk with hardly a chance for a date! Cut young-me some slack for fantasizing a little! But anyway, it was just another night working at the bar, watching the faces (the storyteller sighed) and flanks when a certain pegasus hovered down to to me.

“You?!” Split Skies exclaimed with an incredulous expression. I hadn't even noticed him, but I just reacted with a raised eyebrow. All in the façade. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“Well isn't this a pleasant surprise?” My chuckle was all but lost over the thumping tunes. I just... smiled. “I work here, kiddo!” I loved watching his expression screw up as I pulled that reversal on him. “You could call me a bar pit boss of sorts! It's what I do! Now, what can I get for you?”

The black buck sat down hard on his stool. “So lemme get this straight! You have like fifty guys with you, and you run the bar at this place?”

Actually, it was only thirty-six, now thirty-seven with Cherry Oak with the Mumei. Buuuuut, I didn't want him to think any less of me. So I just said, “Yep!” With a smile, of course.

Split Skies regarded me for a few seconds before grunting, “Fine, you know what? Let's walk and talk sometime before school starts! You know where I hang out!”

I shook my head. “How about this- weekend's almost here, so let's meet for lunch! My place, my treat! We'll talk more later! And you know where I hang out!” I reinforced that point by pointing from him to me.

For... you know.

Emphasis.

“Now, how about something to drink?” I asked with a smile.

I'm told that back in Hokkaido- my people's homeland, not me- businesses went by a different naming system. They adopted a generic name and slapped on their address number to the end. For example, in the northern quarter of Manehattan, there was supermarket on three-fifty-second Al Norte Street. It was given the unremarkable name of “Market Three-Fifty-Two”. Hokkaidans couldn't agree on the original purpose for the system- such was the extent of the knowledge lost to the Great Exodus. Some proclaimed it was a form of homage to the practicality characterized by the Northerners, who worked by tradition as they had for millennia before the Great Exodus. Others argued it was just that- tradition. Still others simply said it made identifying the location of a specific business easier. That's the version I like to think is true.

You know what my favorite food is? Well, I mean... other than biscuits, of course (the storyteller let out a husky chuckle). Believe it or not, ramen. Given the Hokkaidans were of Neighponese ancestry- you can trace back the immigration- ramen was one of our specialties.

Plenty of hooves and hands shot up from the audience.

You're... all wondering what ramen is, aren't you?

Plenty of hooves and hands went down.

I thought as much. Look, just imagine a bowl of soup filled with wheat noodles. Similar to pasta, yes, but in some sort of broth, usually barley-based. Back then, we didn't use meat-based broths for reasons you may suspect. Like I just said, my family finally had the luxury of being able to eat out at nice restaurants. One of them was Ramenhausu Seventy-Nine. I just loved that place. At Nana rei kara kyu, they took customization and cranked it up to eleven. You could have all sorts of toppings in them- bamboo, scallions, ginger, sesame seeds. Sure, that wasn't special at all compared to the other ramen houses. But throw in the fact that you could tell them how firm you wanted your noodles, how strong you wanted your soup base, and even how oily you wanted the broth to be... mm-mm-mm, was that place the best!

Ramenhausu Seventy-Nine had a classy yet relaxed atmosphere to it. The carpeting and furniture looked like they were on the cheaper side, but there was plenty of Prench-style artwork decorating the walls. Remember, this is a ramen house. Sure, it gave it a slightly more... sophisticated atmosphere I guess, but it also seemed out-of-place. Maybe you could go so far as to say it was outright ridiculous what with the scenes of Prench chefs milling about their kitchens. That, and the classical and often romantic music playing. But the food was good and the service was none too shabby. In the end, that's what matters the most. It was on the expensive side to be sure, but Northerners are... were a proud people. They weren't going to make you pay that much if it wasn't quality food.

Split Skies was having trouble enjoying it properly, however.

“How do you work these things?” the well-groomed pegasus grumbled as he fumbled over how to use his chopsticks.

“Heh, honestly, I wouldn't know,” I chuckled. “I don't really know too many Northerner pegasi, and I haven't had the chance to eat with them.”

“Well, you're a Northerner, aren't you?” he asked. “Er... Haysian... Hokkaidan... whatever.”

“Hokkaidan,” I told him. I was a little irritated by that, but no, don't let it show. It's all in the façade. Just... smile. “And honestly, I don't use them.”

“Then how the hell do you eat this?”

I answered by lifting the bowl to my lips, blowing softly, and drinking it up- noodles, condiments, everything. I just bit off the noddles after my mouth was full.

Split Skies just stared at me. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” I nodded. “Pegasi have their wings, earth ponies have their hooves. I don't know how they can do it. They just do it. Unicorns, well, have their magic. I seem to be the exception.” I pat my horn for... you know. Emphasis. “No magic.”

“You're kidding,” he huffed, managing to eat somewhat successfully.

“Not in the least. I can light up the place a little, but that's about it.”

“So how the hell does a kid like you get fifty guys and gals like that and land a job at The Lazy Dog?” Split Skies narrowed an eye suspiciously at me.

“I just work my magic through other ways,” I said, smiling wider. “Now, if you don't mind, it would be nice to talk more about Verdana High.”

“You know you're talking to a B-Two-K member, right?”

“Uh-huh.” I slurped more of my ramen.

“So what kind of game are you playing, kiddo?” Split Skies asked.

“Me?” I smiled sincerely, kept my tone nice and smooth. “I'm unknown, obscure, nameless. I'm just trying to make a name for myself.”

“Well you made a pretty big statement a few weeks ago,” he huffed. “I'm pretty damn pissed at you still.”

“Yet here we are, eating at the same table,” I said, pausing to slurp more of that delicious ramen. Strong soup base- just the way I asked for it, just the way I liked it. “You want something from me too, don't you?”

“I want to know what the hell you're planning,” Split Skies said.

“And I just told you,” I leaned closer toward him. “Look, I've been very kind to you. I came to you with an offer, not a demand. I've been civil, I've taken you out to lunch. I've been very kind to you. You...” I let my smile drop, “not so much to me. What I'm asking of you is something very, very simple. I just want to know more about Verdana High- everything that you know about it. All the connections, all the names and faces. All the...” I took a moment to set a bit sideways on the table and let it spin to rest, “money matters.” I lowered my head to look at him with a pleading yet implicating expression. “There's more where that came from. You get one for every new, useful tidbit you tell me about Verdana High. Be fair with me, and I'll be fair with you.”

The black pegasus nickered, “I know lot of things about Verdana High.”

“Then you're going to walk away from this a rich buck.” I smiled again. “So what do you say... kiddo?”

He smiled back. I had him.

That day I ended up paying for his dinner as well. We were there until closing time. It didn't matter to me that I lost a full weeks' pay.

Because I got exactly what I wanted. And he didn't learn a thing about the Mumei.

“Alright, that's it for this week,” I said with a clap of my hooves, raising my voice over the inevitable din as the Mumei got up from their seats. “Thank you all for coming! Stick around and chat a while if you want! Make friends! Time is money! And trust me- it'll be worth your time!” I turned to face my guest speaker, a griffin. “Thank you kindly for speaking here today, Kori. Nice job with the turn-in from Gombos High.”

“No prob,” he said with a stout nod. I offered my hoof and he swung his claw to gently grasp and shake. “Talk later?”

“Talk later,” I said, returning the nod. I just stood back and watched as the members- my members- went about into their little mini-cliques, chatting amongst themselves. Lazurian Middle School's assembly hall was packed to the brim now. Some of them had to sit down on the floor or in the aisles.

Zoleks ascended onto the stage and stood to my right. “Lotta people.”

“You're telling me,” I chuckled. “We're gonna need a bigger venue. I'm hoping for Manehattan Harbor High's auditorium. Hoping. If not, we'll have to settle with Gombos High.”

My zebra companion nodded. “Yeah, uh, look. I actually came for something else too.”

“Hm?” I turned to him. “What's up, Zoleks?”

“I've been thinking about something,” he said. “Gasp! Zoleks is thinking! It's a sign of Nightmare Moon's return! Oh sweet Celestia!”

That got a chuckle from me. “Heh, alright alright. Come on now, what is it?”

“Well, see, I noticed that Split Skies had this look to him,” Zoleks said. “You know, with the vest. I asked to see if the 'kingpins' of the other high schools have anything similar, and yeah, they do. Some kind of vest, jacket, shades, bangles, even something like a hairstyle. Hey, you think I would look good in a pompadour?”

I blinked awkwardly at him. He blinked awkwardly at me.

The zebra sighed, “Right, bad idea. So! What I guess I'm trying to say is that since you're the kingpin here, you should get a look for yourself too.”

“Well hey now,” I huffed softly, “I'm not the leader here. We're a 'group of ringleaders', quote-unquote.”

“Oh come on, you're totally our leader,” Zoleks huffed right back. “Don't deny it, Hokkaido.”

Well... I couldn't deny it. I definitely saw myself as the leader of the Mumei. But I still tried to. “I'm denying it right now. I'm not the leader. I just helped get it started, and so did you and the others.”

“You know you're the leader, buck, you know it.” He grinned at me.

“Zoleks, I can keep this up all day. You know who's gonna win in the end.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know...” he sighed, then shot me a smirk, “boss.”

I balked at him, amazed. “Did you seriously just pull that off?”

“Mm-hm,” Zoleks chuckled, grinning wide.

“Unbelievable,” I remarked, completely at a loss. “Just... unbelievable. You seriously just pulled that off.”

“Yeah, Nightmare Moon's totally gonna return,” Zoleks snickered. “Like... ten years, or something. But look, point is that you should think about getting a look for yourself. Recognition, boss.”

“I'm iffy on that, Zoleks,” I sighed. “We're the Mumei. Anonymity is our friend. We shouldn't go all out for recognition.”

“But aren't we looking to make a name for ourselves anyway?” Zoleks elbowed me playfully.

“... shit, you're on roll today, Zoleks.” I pursed my lips and nodded in approval. “You been sneaking peeks at my copy of Lying, Parliamentary Style?”

“Maybe, maaaaaybe.” He looked away innocently and kicked the floor. “But yeah, you're the creative type. Got any ideas, boss?”

“Hm.” I looked out over the mingling Mumei. “I might...”

“So, what happens to be the problem here, ma'am?” I asked, taking a moment to adjust my new, mahogany fedora. It's a shame I don't have it anymore. I really liked that hat. It had quality stitching, it was nice and comfortable... but... it was probably burned to a crisp along with most of what I had in Ponyville. Honestly, a lot of the books and articles I have are things I kept and annotated again from Stable Seventy-Two.

Back to the story, I was standing in the doorway of the principal's office at Verdana High with Zoleks at my side. The older, cream-colored mare looked up from her desk. “You're the student council president?”

“President-to-be,” I answered with a polite note, smiling, “seeing as no one else is running for the position, Missus Gallopglee.” Heh, I made sure of that...

“Fair enough.” She then looked at Zoleks. “Why's he here?”

“He's a friend,” I said.

Principal Gallopglee turned to my zebra companion. “Are you involved in this matter in any way?”

“No, Missus,” he replied with a shake of the head.

“Would you please give us some privacy, then?” she asked.

Zoleks looked to me, and I merely gave him a nod. He headed back out, closing the door behind him.

“Take a seat,” Gallopglee said, motioning to the chair before her. Taking a moment to remove my hat and hold it to my breast as I did so, she formed a steeple with her forehooves and asked, “Do you know anything about the situation?”

“I've heard rumors,” I responded. “Otherwise, no.”

“Another bout of gang violence,” she sighed. “This time it was between the Born-Two-Kill and the White Hooves. One of the Whites was confronting and threatening a B-2-K in the boys' restroom in the D building. According to the said White Hoof, a second B-2K entered the restroom and repeatedly bludgeoned him with his water canteen. Nearly left him blind.” I nodded politely, changing my expression to one of seriousness and letting my smile disappear. Act seriously if you want to be taken seriously. “Now, we've already got punishment in mind for them, but...”

“There's a catch, isn't there?” I asked.

Gallopglee nodded. “There may or may not have been a knife involved. Not some plastic knife from the cafeteria- I'm talking a real one, a switchblade. According to the White Hoof, he was pinned down to the floor and threatened to be cut up if he tried to do something like that again. The thing is, we don't have any evidence. We got search warrants on their lockers, their backpacks, and their homes, but nothing turned up- no switchblade as described at least. That's where you come in. If anypony... anyone, sorry, is going to get them to fess up, it's you. I've heard about your contributions to the Peer Assistance Leadership club on campus. But remember, this isn't a mediation I'm asking for. I'm looking for a way to prove or disprove the White Hoof. Evidence, a confession... just a way.”

I nodded. “Understood, ma'am. One question, though- why not go straight to the police with this?”

“Because we've already got enough bad publicity from the gangs quote-unquote 'running the place',” she responded. “The less people that know about this, the better. Getting the police to search for the switchblade's already causing enough of a ruckus. Verdana High doesn't need anymore. So I want you to handle it.”

“I'm honored, ma'am,” I said politely. No smile. Remain serious. “I'll see what I can do. Another question... where are these B-Two-K members right now?”

“They're in detention together,” Gallopglee told me. “B building.”

“May I get them separated?” I asked in a light, quirky tone- anything to sound witty, intelligent. “I want to speak with each one separately, preferably out of sight and earshot of the other.”

“I can have them separated them into different classrooms. They're vacant right now.”

“Far enough to be isolated by ear and eye is all I ask, Miss Gallopglee,” I said with a light bow. Now I smiled.

“Then I'll have it handled. They'll be in the B building still. I'll just have a faculty member notify you where. That is all.”

I bowed again. “Thank you, Miss Gallopglee.” As I left, I smiled wider to myself. I could just hear opportunity knocking...

“Split Skies?” I huffed as I closed the door behind me. “What a surprise.”

The black pegasus, seated at the teacher's desk with his hindlegs resting on the surface, promptly leveled out and leered at me. “Hokkaido? The hell you doing here?”

“Just here to get answers, Split Skies,” I responded as I pulled a seat over to sit beside him- not across from him, beside him. I wasn't going to let him deny me the head of the table “That's all.”

“Answers? What, are you working with them now?” He pointed a hoof dangerously at me. “Kiddo, don't you dare forget that I helped you out.”

“Time's have changed,” I said. “And I owe nothing to you.” And then I... smiled. I dropped to a whisper. “Don't worry. I'm on your side. They're probably listening against the door.”

He smiled back now. It disappeared quickly as he asked, “So what do you want?”

“I want you to tell me everything that happened,” I spoke, removing my hat and setting it down on the desk. “Truthfully.”

Split Skies leaned back and said, “I just saw Cherry Oak being tailed into the restroom, so I thought there was trouble-”

I frowned. “Forgive me for interrupting me, but would you kindly repeat the name of your fellow member?”

“Cherry Oak. Why?”

“For administrative purposes,” I said, making a pair of quotations with my forehooves and rolling my eyes. I... smiled. “Please. Continue.”

That seemed to put him at ease as the black pegasus went on. “I just followed him, heard him threaten my boy, and beat him down with my water canteen. Then I pulled Cherry out of there. That's it.”

“That's it?” I inquired.

“That's it.” Split Skies leaned closer. “Now look, I know you've been hearing all this stuff about me pulling out a switchblade on him. I don't have one, never owned one. It's all bullshit, you got it?”

His tone had raised a little.

“I got it.” I gave him a hoof up before getting to my feet and making for the door. Oh, let's not forget the hat. I picked that up on my way out. “Now, if you excuse me, I've got to get going.”

“What? That all?”

I opened the door and stood there for a moment. There was indeed a faculty member standing outside and listening in. I turned back to face Split Skies. “For now.”

I marched out and let the door close behind me, not even batting the counselor an eye. I kept frowning as I glanced at Zoleks, standing by patiently. “Trouble,” I said simply.

“Can you handle it?” he asked.

“I should be able to, but we might have problems with... internal affairs.”

I proceeded to the other classroom and found the maroon unicorn seated in one of the students' desks. His eyes locked with mine and he immediately blanched. “H-Hokkaido, I, uh, didn't expect you here...” Cherry stammered.

“Funny thing is- neither did I.” I sat down backwards in the desk in front of his to face him. I whispered, “Why are you with the B-Two-K, Cherry? And whisper.”

“Look, I was scared shitless by Split Skies, alright?” he said back in a hushed voice, still scared. “I didn't want to be up against him! So I just joined the B-Two-K and yours, so...”

“Did you tell them anything?” I asked quietly.

“Hokkaido, look, I'm really, really sorry about-”

“Cherry,” I called softly.

“-this! I didn't mean for any of this shit to happen!”

“Cherry,” I repeated, a little louder. And then I... smiled. I removed and set down my hat. “I'm here to help. I'm on your side, alright?”

He seemed to be put at ease- just a little. “Alright. Alright.”

“Did you tell them anything?” I inquired softly, still smiling.

“No, they don't know anything,” he replied. And gulped. “I mean it.”

“Please, did you tell them anything?” I repeated, lowering my head to look up at him with a pleading expression.

“I really didn't,” he whispered a little too quickly. “Really. I didn't. Really.”

So much for being on their sides.

“Okay. I trust you.” I leaned back. “No more whispering.” Louder now, I asked, “To begin, what happened in the D building restroom? Tell me everything- and truthfully.”

“Well... okay,” Cherry sighed. “This White Hoof guy tailed me into the restroom, just threatening to buck my teeth in. Then Split Skies comes in and just bashes him with his water canteen. Then he pulled me out of there. That's really it.”

“Why was the White Hoof threatening you?” I questioned.

“I-I just owed him money, alright?” he said in defense.

“For what?” I asked nicely... and with a smile. “You can trust me. I'm on your side. Remember that.”

“I was... snooping around on White Hoof turf this one time, alright?” Cherry said with a cringe. “He caught me and I said I'd paid him if he kept quiet about it. Well... I... might have missed a few payments...”

“Alright, I see. Now then,” Carefully now, Hokkaido... “did Split Skies ever draw a switchblade on the White Hoof and threaten him?”

Cherry looked back up at me. “Huh? No! No, he doesn't even own one! I don't know where you heard something like that!”

“Are you sure?”

“I'm sure!” the maroon unicorn exclaimed in defiance. “I'm one-hundred percent sure!”

I eyed him for a few seconds. I was still smiling as I put my hat back on. “I'll be back in a bit. I think I'm going to have a chat with Split Skies.”

I lingered only for a moment to watch him gulp as I left. I let the door close behind me and looked at the counselor waiting for me.

“They're both lying,” I said to him.

“Well, we can't work off of that,” he said with a shrug. “We'll need a confession or something.”

“Have a recorder ready?” I asked.

He procured one.

“Then get it ready next time I enter,” I told him. And then just stood there.

“Uh... aren't you gonna talk with Split Skies?” the counselor asked, raising an eyebrow.

I smiled at him and shook my head quietly. “This is where the magic happens,” I whispered. I just shifted my balance between my left and right legs as I waited for a few more minutes. And then I opened the door and stepped back inside. And I dropped my smile.

Cherry looked back up at me as I reentered. “Uh, what happens now?”

I remained silent, as I adjusted my had and seated in front of him as before. My expression was dead-serious now.

“Hokkaido?”

I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. “Split Skies confessed.” I flattened my lips, making sure to look as disappointed as possible.

“Wh-What?” Cherry stared in disbelief.

“He confessed,” I repeated, maintaining my tone and expression as I let out another sigh. I flicked softly at the air with my forehoof and gave a light shrug. “It wasn't hard.” I leaned closer and drew in a breath between my teeth. “So what game are you playing, Cherry?”

“Uh, fuck...” he stammered, blanching again. “H-He said he wouldn't say that!”

“You know, Cherry, you're making it very difficult to stay on your side. Answer the question. You've already lost.”

“J-J-Just... I didn't want to get in trouble okay? W-With Split Skies or anyone? We just hid the knife on-campus so we couldn't get into any deep shit, okay?”

“Well. You're in deep shit, aren't you?” I stood up and headed for the door.

“Hokkaido? Hokkaido!” He sprung up. “Hey, you're gonna help me out of this, right? We're both Mumei, right? We stick together, help one another out!”

I just opened up the door and let it close.

“Hokkaido!” he yelled past the door.

I smiled at the counselor. “You got all that, right?”

He nodded. “Uh, what was that last bit about?”

“It's a Hokkaidan thing. I still don't have my cutie-mark, remember?” And before he could question any further, I strode on back toward Split Skies' classroom. “Start recording.”

Split Skies smiled at me the moment I entered. And then he frowned as he saw I didn't return it. “What's up, kiddo?”

I sat down beside him once more, working my lip as if in decision. Then I locked eyes and told him, “Cherry Oak confessed.”

The black pegasus deadpanned at me. Then he roared, “He what?!”

“He confessed,” I repeated matter-of-factly. “Said you had a switchblade, that you both hid it on-campus. He confessed.”

“That sack of shit,” Split Skies remarked in disbelief. “I'm gonna fucking buck him to the mo-”

“You're not doing anything,” I interrupted. “Now... where's the switchblade?”

“Fuck, I'm not telling you anything!” he growled. “You set this up, didn't you?”

“Well let me ask this,” I glared at him now, “you want to be charged with obstruction of justice? Or do you want an easier way out?”

“Unbe-fucking-lievable!” Split Skies curled his lips into a snarl. “You lying sack of shit! You never were on my side! You did set this up!”

“Well you two are the ones who decided to make things ugly,” I said innocently and shrugged. “That's not my fault. I'm just trying to do the right thing here.”

“Bullshit! I helped you, you help me back! That's doing the right thing!”

“I paid you so you could tell me more about the school. As far as I'm concerned, we're already even. Now back to the matter at hoof, I don't think you want that extra obstruction-of-justice charge. Because, by the way, you're already of legal age. So you want those extra years in prison or what?”

If looks could kill, that pegasus would've already killed me twice over. “The fucking J building. On top of one of the light fixtures in the hallway. Now fuck off.”

“Thank you for your time, Split Skies,” I said with a smile. I stood up and made for the door.

I was almost there when Split Skies tackled into me. He slugged me only a few times until Zoleks sent him rolling along the floor into the desks with a swipe of his foreleg.

“You alright, boss?” he asked as he helped pull me up to my feet.

I watched as the counselor rushed past and pulled Split Skies into a rough grip. The pegasus scowled at me. I just... smiled. “I'm quite alright, Zoleks. I think our work here is done.”

As we headed back out, I heard Cherry Oak cry out, “Hokkaido! Wait! I thought you said you were on my side!”

I looked over my shoulder at the maroon unicorn as another counselor dragged him back off as well. “Last I checked, Cherry, you weren't allowed to get into trouble. That's the first rule, and you broke it. Good bye, Cherry Oak.”

I continued on my way with Zoleks at my side. I was smiling for real now. Because with Split Skies out of the picture, ownership of Verdana High fell to only one other person.

Me.

Three-thousand. By the end of the school year, the Mumei swelled to over three-thousand members in eight school districts from the northern and western quarters of Manehattan working at one-hundred-nineteen different businesses. The Mumei was starting to become something big now, and I loved it. I loved how successful my plan was turning out to be, I loved the power it gave me. And we continued to swell in number and influence. By the time I turned eighteen and finished high school, we were pushing the eight-thousand mark with twelve school districts and all but the southern quarter of the City of Lights and Legends, working three-hundred-eighty four businesses.

And, to my luck- why was I so much luckier back then anyway?- it was about to get even better.

It was another night at The Lazy Dog- hot music, hot mares. I was on break and taking it all in on the dance floor. I was always a good dancer, if I do say so myself, and that kind of music always got my heart racing. I don't know why, but I find myself extremely influenced by music- soothed by it, unleashed by it... and everything in between. Music just... moves me- figuratively and literally.

And “Moondrop” sure got me moving...

“Hey!” someone called. “Lil' businesspony!”

Vani. Definitely Vani. I wound down from my music-induced high and smiled brightly at the griffiness, waving me over from the sidelines. “Well hello, Miss Windfall!” I shimmied through the crowd over to her. “What can I do for you?”

The beat dropped and whatever she said was lost to the mighty subwoofers. I pointed to my ear. It looked like she tried to shout louder, but I only pointed again with my smile turning apologetic. She just swatted the air in surrender and jerked a thumb toward her office. I nodded in understanding and followed her there. My ears were still a little numb from the auditory abuse even, and they rung slightly in the relative silence of her soundproofed office.

“Now... what can I do for you, Miss Windfall?” I asked with a smile, a genuine one.

She took her place behind her desk with a tired sigh and motioned across from herself. “Take a seat.”

“Something the matter, Miss Windfall?” I inquired, my smile slipping a little.

“Huh?” The lithe griffiness shot me a look and paused in her typing at her terminal. “No, no. You're fine, kid, don't you worry.” More typing, followed by a huff and smirk. “Heh... guess I can't call you a kid anymore, huh? Sorry I missed your birthday.”

“Oh, it's no problem, Miss Windfall,” I said with a dismissive wave of the hoof, smile coming back. “Don't worry about it.”

“Well at least it'll give me a chance to discuss your belated birthday present,” Vani said with an exaggerated tap of the Enter key. She turned to face me. “Kid... eh... Hokkaido. You know what you've done for The Lazy Dog since you got work here?”

“I'm not entirely aware of the exact figure, but I'm sure business has improved, Miss Windfall,” I answered. “Am I mistaken?”

“Nope. Revenue took a pretty steep hit that first month, I'll admit, but I hired all those friends of yours after all. Since then, though, profits have been pushing up and up. The Lazy Dog's getting pretty crowded, wouldn't you say?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “More than usual, yes.”

“And all 'cause of you and that ballsy stunt you pulled with the minor labor law.” Vani grinned. “I guess I should stop beating around the bush and cut to the chase.” She leaned forward onto her desk, clacking her talons together. “I'm retiring.”

She let those words settle in. My smile disappeared. “Miss Windfall?”

“Yeah, I'm retiring. Have more than enough bits to live comfortably. I dunno, maybe it's just I want to get away from the music.” She laughed, “Don't get me wrong- I love the music! Hell, otherwise I wouldn't be here speaking to you! Just... I think I'm gonna give my ears a rest, settle down, maybe find a husband... but what I'm trying to get at is...” Vani pulled out a set of keys from her drawer and tossed them over to my side of the desk with a jingle, “she's all yours. Happy belated birthday.”

I stared the keyring in disbelief, looking from it back to her. “Miss... Miss Windfall?”

“Don't act so surprised, Hokkaido,” the griffiness huffed. “I'll bet you saw this coming from miles away.”

“Actually...”

She shook her head and chuckled,“Whatever. You know my reasoning. You worked your tail hard to make this happen, and that stunt raked in more bits and more customers since. The Lazy Dog's all yours. You're a real businesspony now, Hokkaido. Just gotta get the paperwork filled out.”

I nodded. “Alright...” Then I smiled wider and nodded energetically. “Alright! Well, I certainly wish you well, Miss Windfall!”

“Thanks. You too, Hokkaido. Maybe I'll stop in every once in a while. You know, just to check in on things. I'm sure you'll do fine. And something tells me you'll put those extra bits to work. I know your type. You're planning something big, aren't you?” She turned her terminal's screen to face me.

“Well, Miss Windfall,” I said as I leaned forward to look over the terms and conditions, “you gotta think big in a city of giants.” I paused. “By the way, you want to keep the desk, right?”

Life was good. Life was real good, I felt. After graduating from high school with honors- eidetic memory definitely helped there- I found myself with much more free time doing what I loved.

Amassing more power, amassing more influence.

I didn't care about getting any further in my education. I already owned one of the most popular juvie-joints in Manehattan. How much extra income was I going to get from a college degree? I was bringing in thousands per month, and my family was finally starting to save up for a house. Imagine that- a house we could call our own! I didn't care about getting my cutie-mark either. I was already the head honcho of the biggest gang to walk the streets of the City of Lights and Legends. We were nearing twelve-thousand members and had five-hundred-thirty-nine businesses under our belts- juvie-joints, full-out nightclubs, restaurants, shops. We owned half of them. And here I was, sitting on top of it all.

That got me three flavors of attention. The first was, in my opinion, the best thing I could ask for. Attention from the ladies (The storyteller said it in a smooth, smug tone. Then he rolled his eyes and sighed out a chilly breath.) I don't know what I was thinking. I was eighteen, horny, and I had a lot of power at my hooftips. You know... funnily enough, I... okay. Okay. (He raised his forehooves in preemptive defense.) Get this- I'm still a virgin.

...

Really, no surprise? I mean... at least there was some murmuring in Stalliongrad.

The storyteller sighed.

Right then. Bit of a moodkiller. Well, as much as I wanted, I couldn't get any (he coughed) bedroom action. Sure, I got some cuddling, some snuggling, and yes, plenty of flank-fondling. But it never really went further than that. Looking back... I suppose it was my shallow intentions. Because I really was a shallow, if not very motivated, and manipulative fuck back then. Still...

“Well hey there, babe... how're you doing?” I flashed a grin, tucking back my hat.

Song Spinner, the pegasus mare musician grinned back at me, the brilliant beams of color from The Lazy Dog's talismans catching her quite nicely. That silky, black coat of hers soaked up all that color- she was simply dazzling the way the light caught her. No, dazzling- period. “Fine, fine, yourself?”

“Well you certainly are fine...” I chuckled, brushing a hoof over her back toward that nice flank, bearing the cutie-mark of a pegasus' silhouette against the night sky. “Shall we get a drink?”

“Only if we stick to the non-alcoholic,” she snickered.

“Babe, babe, you judge me too harshly,” I said with a wide smile. “This is The Lazy Dog. No liquor to be found here. Come on, let's ring some up.”

I led her toward the bar and I bristled as Song draped a wing over me. My goodness feathers are amazing...

The second flavor was attention from the police. This was less... desirable. With forty-two gangs in Manehattan, you could probably imagine the police shitting themselves when the biggest gang the city's ever seen suddenly came in from out of nowhere. Again, I made sure we didn't catch much attention. But like I said before, you can't stop the rain. You put a roof over your head and hope it doesn't leak. So whatever attention we did get, it was the good kind. As far as the MPD was concerned, we were just a labor union. A massive labor union on the scales of which nobody ever saw before, but we didn't cause any trouble. We were on their good side. For those that needed a bit more convincing, I used some clever words and maybe a pretty bit or fifty to get them to see the light. I had plenty of money now that I owned The Lazy Dog.

Speaking of extra money...

“How much longer will I have to keep walking around like this?” Zoleks asked, blindfolded.

“Just a bit longer, my friend,” I answered, leading him along down the sidewalk outside his apartment. “Just a bit longer. What, you don't trust me?”

“No, no, not that! Wait, I mean yeah, I trust you. It's just, well, blindfold. Duh.”

“Okay good.” I nodded. “Because I'd never, ever, ever do anything to violate your tru- punch to the face!” I brushed my hoof against his cheek in a mock punch, and he reflexively pulled away. “Ahhhh, I'm just fooling. Really? You'd think I'd do that?”

Zoleks grumbled, “No, it's just, well, reflex. Duh.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sure, Zoleks. Sure. Now, go ahead and take it off.”

My zebra companion removed the blindfold... and was treated to the sight of a brand new Hardly-Mason motorcycle. “Hohhhhhhhhhhh!” he belted out, jumping straight to his hindlegs and covering his mouth with his forehooves like an excited colt. Which, in retrospect, he was. “Hohhhhhhhh my Goddess! Sweet Celestia!” He pulled me in for a tight hug. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!”

“Zoleks... little tight here...” I wheezed.

He blinked a few times before setting me down. “Sorry, but thank you! Thank so much! Holy shit, buck, I don't know how to thank you enough!”

“Heh... no thanks... necessary, buddy,” I said with a smile, readjusting my hat.

“But... I don't have my permit.” He scratched the back of his head.

“Well, you'll need to learn how to ride before you can get one.” I grinned wider. “Riiiiight?”

“Oh hell fucking yes!” Zoleks cheered, climbing on. “You're the best, boss! You're the best!”

I smiled at him and glanced back to see his parents conversing with one another. I could pick up a few words from what Zoleks taught me, but I still didn't quite have Zebrikaans down. “What're they saying?”

Zoleks chuckled, “They're joking that now I'll never be at home again.”

“Well, you got a marefriend, right?” I smirked.

“And now I got two,” he sighed pleasantly, caressing his new Hardly-Mason gently. “Uh, don't tell Namira I said that.”

Heh... Zoleks and his bikes...

The third flavor of attention the Mumei received was... troublesome. It was attention from other gangs. Good intentions and sprucing up doesn't do any good with people in illicit trades and businesses. I didn't want any trouble with them, but even as big as the Mumei were, I didn't put it above them to want trouble with us. Moreover, I couldn't work with them. Police? The everyday person? Even if I was a magicless, blank-flank unicorn, I could whip up my words and bring them on my side. Not so with gangs. When it comes to gangs, it's a dog-eat-dog world. You show a sign of weakness, they'll exploit it.

We had plenty of dealings with them, whether they knew it or not. After all, the Mumei had a hand or hoof in hundreds of businesses in the city of Manehattan. I just hoped they wouldn't be stupid enough to pick a fight with us. The way I saw things, even if they might cause some trouble every so often, they didn't want trouble. The Mumei are the unknown, the obscure, and the nameless. Even if I knew exactly how numerous and widespread we were, few outsiders did. I hoped they would assume- rightly so- that we were far larger than any other gang out there and would do well to avoid picking a fight with us.

Unfortunately, that backfired because one particular gang of misfits thought opposite- that we were nothing.

Terminals sucked. If there was one thing I had to dislike about running The Lazy Dog, it was that I needed to use a terminal. It was practically a necessity for running a business. Learning how to use it wasn't the problem. It was pretty straightforward. Now, using it was a different story.

The storyteller sprouted a pair of ice arms from his shoulders.

These? Didn't have 'em back then. I only had my hooves.

He sublimated the arms and held up his forehooves to make a point, shrugging.

Again, I'm no earth pony. I came to really respect them for the surprising level of dexterity with which they could use their hooves, their mouths, and even their tails. Because I didn't have any of that. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I was a very, very slow typist.

The backspace key especially became my best friend.

Working in the office of The Lazy Dog for putting in all the necessary information, sending out e-mails, and slugging through paperwork was the absolute worst part of the workday- or worknight. However you saw it. But it had to be done at some point. I usually just got it out of the way as early as possible so I could just get out of the office and enjoy the dance and song.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening tonight.

I didn't need to be very perceptive to hear the door opening. When the music blared in that loudly all of a sudden, I can just tell someone's coming. I looked up to see Zoleks, greeting him with a smile. I dropped it as soon as I realized he wasn't returning one, and that wasn't his usual serious face either.

“We got trouble, boss,” he said. “Two Cruds want to speak with you.”

“With me?” I stood up and walked over to him. “I never publicly stated I was in charge.”

“Yeah, well, I think it's pretty much accepted by now that you're the leader,” Zoleks huffed. “So, what do we do?”

“Is Sunny outside?” I inquired.

“Yeah, why?”

“Bring him in,” I told him. “The Cruds, they checked past the door alright?”

Zoleks nodded. “They did, yeah.”

“Then let them come. Go ahead.” I moved to take my seat again. Sunny Days came in shortly and I asked him, “Did Zoleks inform you about the situation?”

The big, orange buck let out a deep breath. “Yeah.”

I eyed him for a second. “What's got you so worked up?”

“Well... they're Cruds, you know? Tough sons of bitches.”

“But tiny compared to the Mumei,” I said, moving to reassure him. With a... smile. “They're unarmed if they managed to get in through the front door. It'll be fine.”

Zoleks popped open the door and shouted over the music, “They want to see you alone!”

“That's nice!” I remarked. “Bring them in!”

“Should I go, then?” Sunny asked, shooting me a glance.

“No,” I answered with a grin and a shake of the head. “Now go ahead and stand over by the far wall, alright?”

Sunny gave me a quick nod before doing as I asked. Shortly after, Zoleks reentered with the two Cruds, both stallions. The first was a unicorn wearing a bandana and undershirt; he had the cutie-mark of a washing machine. The other was an earth pony with a flashy golden necklace and a hoodie. His cutie-mark was a punching bag. Well, that was comforting. Still, I just... smiled. I motioned for Zoleks to stand at the far wall beside Sunny.

The unicorn glared at Zoleks. “I thought I told you we were gonna speak alone, stripes.” He noticed Sunny, then turned to me at my desk. I just... smiled. “The fuck is this shit?”

“My turf, my rules,” I answered plainly. “Now, who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

“Look, kid, I ain't taking shit from you.” The unicorn pointed a dangerous hoof at me. “We talk alone.”

I leaned forward tilting my head down to adopt a pleading expression. “Honestly, folks, wouldn't you agree that if this was happening at your place, we would have the same situation, hm?”

The unicorn huffed, “Yeah. So what?”

“So there.” I swept a hoof across to indicate the building around us. “My turf,” I rest that hoof on my breast, “my rules. Provided you didn't come here looking for trouble, that shouldn't be a problem. And if you don't like that, then we no longer have a reason to speak. If you do have a problem with that, you can take it up with the thirty-eight bouncers here.” I leaned back, still smiling. “Now, who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

The Cruds both shared a glance. “Suds,” the unicorn grunted.

“Dirtnap,” the earth pony likewise grunted. Again. Comforting.

“Well met, Suds and Dirtnap,” I said with a nod. I paused for a few seconds. Not going to ask for my name? Okay then. “So what did you fine gentlestallions wish to discuss with me?”

“So you're Hokkaido, then?” Suds asked.

Oh. So they already knew. “That I am.”

“Well we're more than a little pissed at you right now,” the unicorn nickered. “We caught one of your boys snooping around in our territory.”

I was unfazed. “And?”

“And what?”

“Pending worker or police-only areas, arrest, incarceration, or a restraining order, I think it's legal to go wherever one pleases in Equestria,” I said, still smiling. “Wouldn't you agree?”

“Yeah, well, your friend was snooping around in one of our warehouses.” Dirtnap scowled.

“Was it illegal for him to be in there?” I inquired.

“It was illegal when he was trying to steal our stuff,” Suds growled.

Ooh. Now there was a problem. I was quiet for a few moments, but I maintained my smile. “What is his name, and where is he now?”

Pick Pack was shoved roughly to the ground with a soft grunt. He was badly bruised and his left eye was swollen shut. We were in the back alley behind The Lazy Dog. I was flanked by Zoleks, Sunny, Hammer Toss, and Song Spinner while Suds and Dirtnap were across from us along with two more Cruds in the powered wagon they dragged Pick in.

“Caught your friend trying to steal our hash last night,” Suds spat as Pinprick slowly got back up and limped over to us. “You have an answer for me now, buck?”

I held up a hoof as Pick passed to bar his progress. Still smiling, I whispered deadly low into his ear, “My office. Wait for me. We're going to have a talk. After this.” He gulped as I lowered my hoof, limping his way back in. I turned back to the Cruds. “You beat up one of my boys.”

Suds huffed and smirked, “Yeah, we sure fuckin' did-”

“You. Beat up. One of my boys.” I let my smile slowly slip away to a frown. “Do I look like a bitch?”

“Well you're acting like o-”

“Well you're fucking me like one,” I tilted my head down so that my fedora darkened my features- a trick I learned thanks to Zoleks. Suds and a few other Cruds screwed up their expressions- some of them started chuckling a little. I hated that. And I'd show them. “Yes, you are. Yes, you are. You know, I'm not surprised your gangs never got much mileage. First impression of tonight is that you're a ragtag group of numbskull brutes with a penchant for illegal activity. And this is coming from a Northerner, so you should bet your asses that's saying something.”

“You wanna start something, colt?” Dirtnap grunted, stepping forward with his muzzle tilted up. “You better be damn sure you can finish it!”

“Oh, me?” I wore an abashed expression, placing a hoof on my injured breast. “Me? I didn't want to start something.” Then I pointed at him. “But you... yes you... already came here wanting to start something.” I strode left and right, scowling. “We're nice guys and gals. We run the nightclubs now- all but six in the City of Lights and Legends. You can bet your sorry ass we've serviced your groupies on more than one occasion. Hell, more than a hundred, a thousand! But you beat up one of my boys for trespassing and attempting to steal. And then you still have the fucking gall to come straight to me and dump him at my feet alllll high and mighty. I thought flaunting how big your dick was ended in middle school.”

“Excuse me, punk?” Suds strode forward, tilting his head toward me. “Excuse me? You gonna talk shit like that to the Cruds and expect to get away with it?” The other Cruds in the back were getting off the wagon and walking up to take Suds's and Dirtnap's sides.

“Well try this on for size,” I snorted, tilting my own muzzle up. “You already started something. You so sure you can finish it?”

“With runts like you?” Suds nickered. “It'll be like taking candy from a baby- nah, exactly like it.”

“Yeah, we're young. I'm eighteen. But you know what mumei means? It means unknown, obscure, nameless. It describes people, like me, who try to make a name for ourselves. Well we're the Mumei.” I motioned to Hammer.

The buck reached to his shoulder and clicked his radio thrice. A group of armed policeponies and griffins flooded down the alley from behind the Cruds, shouting for them to get on their knees with their forehooves on their heads. I savored their expressions of surprise as they shoved down and cuffed one by one and... smiled. I watched that smile reflected back at me from Zoleks, Sunny, Hammer, and Song as I walked up to one of the officers and tipped my hat to her. I hoofed her a nice bag of clinking bits, and she nodded back with a smirk.

I looked down at Suds and Dirtnap, “And we've taken a lot of names.”

“I'm very, very displeased right now, Pick Pack,” I said with a... smile. I set my hat down as I walked around my desk to sit across from him. “Do you know why?”

The injured buck looked a little better now that he was bandaged up and was holding an ice pack over his eye. He refused to look at me with his other one. We were alone.

I sighed and leaned against my desk, dropping my smile- only for a moment, only for a moment. “I'm disappointed that you, one of the ponies that's been with this from the start, jeopardized the safety of the Mumei with that little stunt.” I paused. “Are you an addict?”

He glanced at me with that eye and quickly looked away. “No...” he said shakily.

“Don't lie to me, Pick.” I was still smiling, but I was speaking dangerously now. “You don't want to make me any more displeased than I already am. Are you an addict?”

Another glance. Longer this time. “Yes.”

I nodded. “Alright. Alright. So tell me something. You own Tawny's Burgers, and you are one of the founders of the biggest gang in Manehattan. You have more than enough financial support to,” I coughed, “get your fix the old-fashioned way.” I paused to let all of that sink in. Then I leaned further toward him. “So why in Celestia's name would do that?”

“Look... I spent a little too much money in some places and got into some bad habits, okay?” Pick sighed. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“No,” I told him flatly, letting my smile disappear. I threw a sack of bits down on his end of the table. “Should be more than enough in there to clean yourself up. Sell your restaurant to someone else, get detoxed, and get out. You're no longer with the Mumei.”

Pick just stared wide-eyed at me.

“You're lucky I'm not getting you beat up over this. The Cruds didn't start this mess. You did. I just made them believe it. Now take your bits and get out. You better hope I never find you at our meetings again. You know what will happen.”

Pick nodded dully and picked himself up. He limped past the door as Sunny came back inside in his place. “You wanted to see me after, Hokkaido?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Take Pick Pack off the payroll. And if you ever see his face again at our meetings, you tell me.”

Sunny exhaled softly, “I don't know about this, Hokkaido, he was a good friend...”

“Well, he just got us into a whole shitstorm of trouble,” I said to him. “All of us. And now we have to deal with it. Things are looking to pick up real soon. I'm going to get more... talks with the MPD. And you...”

“What about me?” He looked a little worried.

I... smiled. “Let's talk about acquiring some heavy ordnance...”

When you think about gang wars in the Wasteland, the first thing you might think up of is... guns. And bullets. Lots of guns and bullets. When you think about gang wars in pre-war Equestria, the first thing you might think up of is...

If you said guns and bullets- lots of guns and bullets, well...

“Zoleks!” I cried out, rushing to the fallen zebra. “Sweet Celestia! Zoleks, come on, talk to me!”

It should have been a nice, warm summer day. It should have been a nice stroll from the parking lot to The Lazy Dog. It should have been a lot of things. It shouldn't have been this.

“Ugh... whuh... what happened...?” he blubbered, clutching at his chest. He was spattered with red, red that ran down off of him to the asphalt in rivulets. Red and bits of brown.

“You were caught in the chest,” I said to him, trying to clear it up.

“I don't think I'm getting back up...” Zoleks mumbled.

“Getting back...” I socked him in the shoulder. “Oh quit foaling around! It's just a pie!”

“But it's cherry...” he moaned. “I hate cherry...”

“Well you sure had a fine time popping your marefriend's!” I growled, trying to pull him up. “Get up and grab yours! They're still here!”

Yep. That's right. I see some eyeballs popping out. Pick them up from your feet and put them back in your noggins. So the pupils face forward. Yes, both of them. Uh, sorry, Gawd. You know what I mean.

The one-eyed griffin in the audience merely waved a claw.

But yeah. When you think about gang wars in pre-war Equestria, the first thing you might think up of should be... pie. Yes, the baked good. There was cherry pie, blueberry pie, lemon meringue pie, pecan pie- that one hurts a lot, by the way- apple pie, huckleberry pie, olallieberry pie... just pies. Not guns and bullets, lots of guns and bullets. Pies.

Things were... different back then. Back then you didn't have to worry about dying- at least not as much in today's world. Almost nopony, almost nobody wanted to kill one another. War... that was something Equestrians hadn't experienced in over a millennium. Beating one another up was about as far as most were willing to go. Gangs were no different. Looking back, it's... very much laughable, I know. Also very wasteful, especially in today's standards. All those pies could have fed...

The storyteller threw up his forehooves for a moment.

But yes. We fought using... pies. As projectile weapons. Better than getting shot. Or stabbed. Or... set on fire. But back then, it sucked a lot to get pelted. The worst ones were the drive-pies, these... ugh... these ones where someone would drive past in a powered wagon while flinging pies at their targets. It would get everywhere, sometimes- usually now that I think about it- on people other than the target.

Still... it wasn't sanctioned by the MPD and was illegal on the premise of disturbing the peace. Well, and technically causing injury as well. But that was how gang wars went down in Manehattan- and in Equestria in general at the time. With projectile pie pelting.

And then there were the showdowns... and I'm serious here. Really. I am. Picture this- it's the dark of the night, and the Mumei and the Cruds agreed to a face-off at a construction site. Hundreds of them march there side-by-side, pie in hoof and hand, rolling carts of more of the baked goods behind them. Then both start flinging and charging, sometimes exchanging bucks and punches and getting down and dirty up close. Then the police come and we all bolt away. Maybe the Mumei had it easier since I arranged good relations with the MPD. But you could imagine that the construction workers were not happy about the state of their work site come morning.

It's... yeah, it's laughable. Yeah, it's silly. There was honestly even a time when pie-control laws were proposed, but that caught a lot of flak from almost everyone considering how popular they were as food. People just found it too much to take that they were limited to a single pie per day or had to pass a “pie offenders” background check. It was... just ridiculous. And don't get me started on the Pie Prohibition Era the one time that one of the laws managed to pass twenty years before all that... just... ugh. Definitely not my favorite lesson in history.

A member of the audience raised a hoof.

Yes?

Said audience member asked what a pie was.

Get out.

War under all guises does not exist in a vacuum. It's a form of rhetoric. There's a rhetor, a medium, and an audience- the rhetorical triangle linked by context. War is a method, a means to an end. As we started to amass allies in this... admittedly ridiculous pie-fueled gang war, I further sought to establish my gang- myself- as the owner of the City of Lights and Legends. I already had my hoof in the MPD and on the city council. Every battle we fought and won might not have increased our territory- such was the extent of control the Mumei had over the city- but it made our rivals lose it. The more we pushed them out, the more ownership we exerted and declared to those gangsters. And on the battlegrounds of Manehattan, I had numbers and resources on my side. Who was going to stop me?

See, that's the kind of thinking that screwed me over. Even with my eidetic memory, I failed to recall just how many people I stepped on to get to where I was. I got angry at a lot of my fellow members, such as Pick Pack. Every time we managed to lose a fight, it was someone else's fault. Not mine. While most of the time, it was that someone else's fault, the way I handled it, well...

“Unacceptable,” I said simply. No smiling this time. In my office. Alone. With Bubblepop in front of me.

She sighed, “Look, Hokkaido, we didn't-”

“Unacceptable,” I interrupted, scowling. “You had the ammunition, you had the numbers, you had the know-how. So how the hell did you not expect them to catch you from behind?”

“Well, maybe I got a bit cocky but-”

I deadpanned at her. “Are you a stallion?”

“What?” She stared wide-eyed at me. “No!”

“Then don't feed me that shit about getting cocky,” I said lowly. “Get your head in the game, and get out.”

... let's just say I didn't make very many friends during those days. In fact, I started making enemies. A lot of enemies. A whole lot of enemies. In fact, I surrounded myself with Zoleks and Sunny anytime I was out of our apartment. My parents never asked any questions. I got top marks in my school years and I was bringing in most of the income now that I was out. I just... smiled and acted politely around them. Between the medicine we could afford now and the brews that Zoleks' parents made, my mother was looking much better than she had in years despite her progeria. Father and mother were happy with that and decided to leave me be.

I was foalish. So, so foalish- if not in my lust for power, then in my lack of realization of how many enemies I was making. Hothead Hokkaido was coming back out, and with how powerful I had become, that made a lot of people afraid- both in rival gangs... and in my own. Malcom was right. Fear... motivates us. And it sure motivated quite a few of my henchponies and underlings.

There's a quote by Sun Zoo. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. I never realized just how close I was keeping my enemies.

“You want to make me trust you again?” I asked Bubblepop, looking up from my desk. “Then start paying attention.” I turned my terminal's monitor toward her and pointed at a small section of a map of the northern quarter of Manehattan. “That's a Crud warehouse right there. I want it gone. I don't care how you slice the pie. I want it gone.” I leaned back in my seat. “Make it happen. Zoleks, see her out.”

Song Spinner opened the door, allowing a fresh blast of music to enter as Zoleks headed a hastily exiting Bubblepop back out and bumped past the pegasus mare.

“Jeez... what happened?” she asked.

I slumped in my seat. “Gave her something to do. Something I hope she doesn't screw up like last time.”

“Sounds like you've had a rough night,” Song remarked with an empathetic click of her tongue.

“No kidding,” I sighed, leaning back further.

“You could use something to cheer you up.” She then grinned with a half-lidded expression. “Or someone.”

I arced an eyebrow to that, but as I watched her wander closer toward me with that expression and a light sway to her hips, I got the message. I smiled wide. “Zoleks, you mind giving us some... privacy?”

“Sure thing, boss,” he said with a nod, heading out.

I opened my forelegs for her. She snuggled up on top of me, and I took it all in. That pleasant tinge of sweat she worked up on the dance floor that I barely picked up, her silky coat, her soft feathers, her generous flank...

“Mmmmm... welllll, now,” I chuckled, my tone coming out smooth and slick, “is somepony coming around?”

“Mmmm, I could very well be...” She bit her lip with those half-lidded eyes, completing the image. I felt heat rush to my cheeks- all the more so as she inched up closer against me.

“Heh, careful, babe...” I said with a wide, carnal grin.

“Don't worry, I'll be gentle,” she giggled seductively.

The door opened again with a blare of deep bass. “Whoa, hey now!” I chuckled, not caring whoever it was. “Zoleks, you mind?”

Song Spinner nodded to the newcomer. “He won't be, though.”

I blinked and opened my mouth in question before I felt a hard impact to the side of my head and the world went dark.

The world was still dark when I came to. I felt a dull throb on the side of my head, and I was achy and sore everywhere else. Likely as a result of the odd position I was in. It was pitch-black, it was stuffy, it had this weird plastic... film everywhere. But mostly, it was smelly beyond belief. It smelled Goddess-awful wherever I was. I could hear sounds- muffled sounds. I could hear the clamor of horns from powered wagons, the clip-clop of hooves on the pavement, and the muddled, ambient conversation of Manehattan. That little tidbit didn't provide the least bit of solace to me.

I let out a gag and groan from the horrid stench. I tried to breathe through my mouth and found that I couldn't. Something had forced my mouth open and stopped it up. My heart fell as I realized in horror that I was gagged. That thought alone made my nostrils flare as I hyperventilated in panic. My spittle slathered around whatever it was that was gagging my muzzle and ran down my cheek. And as I panicked, I tried to flail around. I couldn't. I was pinned by a great, hard, misshapen, lumpy, filmy, plastic weight. And that invited even more panic.

I couldn't move.

I was trapped.

Alone.

And gagged.

Where nobody could hear me.

In the dark.

You have to understand that I was not accustomed to the dark. Manehattan was the City of Lights and Legends. Even after sundown, I never truly knew darkness. There was always some light, somewhere, somehow.

This...This was complete darkness. It was something completely foreign, completely unknown to me. And it scared me. I tried to make enough noise so that someone, anyone could come find me and save me. And it felt sick. I had been in almost complete control of things since I was twelve years old. To be stripped of all that, rendered helpless and alone in this filthy darkness... it was horrifying.

The storyteller shuddered.

Sorry, sorry... just... give me a minute. Just. Just... a minute. Give me a minute.

He took several deep breaths in quick succession, each time expelling a frosty mist. At the last, he exhaled sharply through his nostrils with a hiss of steam.

Sorry... it's... just... my memory isn't just what I see and hear. It's... sensational as well. Taste, touch, smell... I remember it all. Being like that, it... it doesn't bring back good feelings.

Another deep breath.

I don't know how long I panicked for. I just... kept finding things to panic about. How long had I been out? How long had I been up? Where's Zoleks? Why didn't he stop this? Was he the one who knocked me out? Who else was in this other than Song Spinner? How didn't I see this coming? Where am I? What am I lying in? Why was it so smelly? What was it so stuffy? But most of all- will I get out?

That one conjured the deepest fears in me. I tried to find something to cling to. If I could lie so well to others, why not to myself? I could lie to myself, couldn't I? This was only temporary, I told myself- tried to tell myself with the gag around my mouth. This was only temporary. They were going to come back. Maybe they'd be a little pissed- okay, maybe very pissed, but they were going to come back. They weren't going to let me die- nopony, no one would do that to me. Nobody. My parents would come looking for me, maybe Zoleks... uhhhh, my parents would come looking for me. Yes. Commissioner Farrow would come looking for me. Principal Gallopglee would come looking for me. Superintendent Vanilla Drop would come looking for me- somebody would come looking for me! Dammit, they better! They better! I can barely breathe, I can't move, I'm cramped all over, my eyes sting but I can't rub them, I... I...

I just kept lying to myself. Just... kept... lying to myself. It brought me enough of something to grasp onto to pull myself up a little. I found enough common sense to light up my horn and try to figure out where I was.

I could barely see the ice-blue glow of my horn in my vision. I just saw a massive black film that blotted out all else, matted with wrinkles. I realized with a start- it was a trash bag. I was surrounded by trash bags. They threw me into a dumpster.

I couldn't lie to myself, no matter how hard I tried. With that came another bout of panic. I tried to flail around again, but my weak body was all but cramped up. Not only couldn't I move even if I tried, but I wouldn't move. I was trapped in the dark amidst ponies, zebras, donkeys, mules, griffins, buffalo, and diamond dogs all going about their business. There were my people- they belonged to me. Me! And none of them would come to save me.

A horrible dread seized me as my stomach growled. And as I slobbered against the gag and felt the wetness trickle around my lip and cheek, I realized I was thirsty. How long had I been out? How long had I been up? Where's Zoleks? Why didn't he stop this? Was he the one who knocked me out? Who else was in this other than Song Spinner? How didn't I see this coming? Where am I? What am I lying in? Why was it so smelly? What was it so stuffy? But most of all- will I get out?

I tried to lie to myself again. This was only temporary. They were going to come back. Maybe they'd be a little pissed- okay, maybe very pissed, but they were going to come back. They weren't going to let me die- nopony, no one would do that to me.

A horrible dread seized me as my stomach growled. And as I slobbered against the gag and felt the wetness trickle around my lip and cheek, I realized I was thirsty. How long had I been out? How long had I been up? Where's Zoleks? Why didn't he stop this? Was he the one who knocked me out? Who else was in this other than Song Spinner? How didn't I see this coming? Where am I? What am I lying in? Why was it so smelly? What was it so stuffy? But most of all- will I get out?

I tried to lie to myself again. This was only temporary. They were going to come back. Maybe they'd be a little pissed- okay, maybe very pissed, but they were going to come back. They weren't going to let me die- nopony, no one would do that to me.

...

...

...

My stomach growled. Louder. And I was no longer salivating. My tongue felt lumpen, dry against the hard, wet gag.

...

...

...

They were going to let me die.

I was going to die.

Alone.

In the dark.

I screamed.

Death was something I never thought about. Nopony, nobody thought about it- especially at my age. The only threat of death was in some rundown town in the boondocks, maybe like Ponyville with the Everfree Forest nearby. But dying... dying at the hooves of another pony- not only dying, but languishing away... I remember that as that thought crossed my mind, a wet warmth trickled from my crotch and down my navel.

I was going to die. I was going... to die.

I tried to flail out, scream, tried to do anything that would get attention. I was no more successful than the last twelve times. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Now sixteen.

Then I began to pity myself.

Why me? Why did it have to be me? Why me, of all ponies, of all people? I was on top of the world, flying high! I built an empire, became something from nothing! Why me? Why me?

Then I tried to flail out, scream, tried to do anything that would get attention. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen.

Then I began to pity myself. Again.

Why me? Why me, why me, why me?

Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three.

Why me?

Twenty-four. Twenty-five.

Why me?

Twenty-six.

Why me? Why not somebody else? Why not Split Skies?

Twenty-seven. Twenty eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty. Thirty-one.

Cherry Oak, that bastard. Pick Pack, that fuck. Song Spinner, that bitch. Why not them? Why me?

My stomach growled again, growled enough to hurt. I tried to curl up inward to make it feel better. My body wouldn't let me.

My mouth, my lip, my cheek was dry. It hurt to move my tongue.

I was going to die.

No more trying to be saved. No more pity. Now I just... tried to make it come faster. I'd accepted it by now. I was going to die. Nobody was looking for me. How could they when I heard them milling about outside? I was trapped, unable to move, and unable to perform any stupid magic that could save my life. I couldn't save myself. How could I expect anyone to do it for me?

So... I tried to make it come faster. I tried to force myself to stop breathing. I couldn't. Breathing isn't completely voluntary. There comes a point where the mind just takes over. It's why you try to make that last breath as you drown. Your body wants to breathe as much as your mind doesn't. I tried to shift around to asphyxiate against the plastic. My body wouldn't cooperate. I couldn't move. I could barely blink as is. I was so weak I couldn't even make it come any faster. I was going to die a slow, painful death. And I couldn't do anything about it.

And eventually, I accepted that too. I stopped feeling. I stopped hearing, letting the world outside fade away. I felt... oddly at peace. Lying there in the dark, in the stink, in the filth... I didn't have to focus on anything. I just let my mind wander. I started thinking. A lot. Was all of what I did worth it in the end? Did I really ever love Song Spinner? Was I truly honoring my name in building that empire by stepping on the backs of others? And did I deserve to die for that?

And what had I done? In creating the Mumei, what had I done? I manipulated, baited, tricked, recruited, lied, betrayed, flattered, crushed, slandered... was that who I really wanted to be remembered as? The stallion with the tongue of fire and silver? The stallion who built the biggest gang the City of Lights and Legends has ever seen and turned it loose on its people?

What have I done? That was the biggest question I kept asking myself. What have I done?

Eventually I just let my mind numb. No longer feeling, now I stopped thinking at all. I began to black out every so often. I don't know why I came back, drifting in and out of unconsciousness. Maybe it was lack of sleep. I couldn't tell whether I was awake or asleep anymore. The blackness was all the same. I tried making friends with it, actually. I gave it a name. Blackie. You know, like someone would name their dog. Blackie. It was there all the time, never leaving me. My best friend. Screw concrete. I never missed him. Darkness... darkness was always there for me.

I already stopped feeling. I already stopped hearing. Eventually, I stopped seeing and thinking. I was ready to waste away, just waiting. Only when I think back to that horrible, dark time for me did I even remember there being shouting just outside, growing louder and louder and accompanied by the impact of hoof against flesh, then followed by a jostling movement and a great groan. I didn't even remember the plastic shifting against me and finally being tossed off as Zoleks looked down at me, panting, wide-eyed, color drained. I didn't even remember that he turned back to a bloodied Sunny Days and slugged him once more straight in the face before hauling me out, pulling the gag off, yelling for me to say something, hauling me on his back, climbing onto his Hardly-Mason, and zooming straight for the nearest hospital while simultaneously breaking every speed limit sign along the way. Radar enforcement sign or not.

“Are you there... Zoleks...?” I whispered, keeping my eyes closed. Opening them hurt. Everything was too bright, too colorful. Especially back then. Everything was so much brighter and more colorful back then. The bed I was lying down on felt so much more heavenly, so much softer than Song Spinner. The beep of the electrocardiogram was so much better, so much more regular than the oblivious milling about of Manehattaners. An IV needle was hooked into my foreleg. The pain was oddly comforting. I could feel. I could feel. I was alive.

And it smelled nice. So very nice...

“Yeah, boss,” he whispered back.

“Please... don't call me that...”

“Sorry, b... Hokkaido.”

“How long... was I... was I in there?”

“About... three days, almost four.”

“Just shy...”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Just...Just shy of four. Number of days we can live... without food... water. Lucky... I'm lucky, aren't I?”

I think he might have nodded meekly. I didn't know. I just heard him sigh. “I'm sorry, Hokkaido. I didn't know. I-”

“Stop...”

He gulped and stopped.

“I told you... to go. I remember... I remember. Thank you for... saving me.”

“Well, it's... what friends are for,” he sighed. The zebra then growled bitterly. “Song Spinner... Sunny Days... fuck them.”

“Was there anyone else...?”

“Y...Yeah. A lot of them. Bubblepop, Hammer Toss... Pick Pack...”

The regular beeping of the electrocardiogram hastened for a split second. “Pick Pack?”

“Yeah. He's... He's been running The Lazy Dog since you, uh...” He sighed, “I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner, Hokkaido. I asked everyone I could find... Pick Pack, he was behind all this. He threw me off so many times... I'm such an idiot sometimes...”

“Enough of that, Zoleks...”

The zebra clicked his tongue. “Sorry...”

“Zoleks... you have enough gas to drive to... The Lazy Dog with both of us?”

“What?” He was no longer whispering now. “No, no, buck, you can't be serious right now! You almost died!”

“I want to... pay him... a visit.”

“You sure as hell ain't right now!” Zoleks exclaimed.

“How long... have I been here?”

“Maybe six hours?”

“Too long. I want to see the look on his face... before he sees it in the news... which I think will be in the news... I think... I don't know.”

“Well you ain't leaving!” Zoleks growled. “You can't make me!”

“... you know I can.”

Zoleks let out a sigh. “Yeah. I know you can.”

“But I won't.”

He didn't respond to that for a few seconds. “Come again?”

“I won't. I can't... I...” My turn to sigh. “I just can't do that again. Not to you...” We were silent for a bit. Then I asked, “Did... my parents come?”

“Within the first half-hour.”

“Did they say anything...?”

“To me, uh... well, they asked what happened, and...”

“You told them. About the Mumei. Everything.”

“Yeah...” Zoleks sighed.

“... they were angry.”

“Yeah...”

I only sighed. “I'll... deal... I'll talk with them... later.”

“So... what now?” Zoleks asked.

I tried to pull my lips into a smile. They cracked and bled a little. The coppery taste was... thrilling after having that gag in my mouth.

“May I have a phone...? Please?”

“Hellllllo, you're ringing up The Lazy Dog! What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Pick.”

“... hey, uh... hey there, uh... Hokkaido?”

“Yes.”

“...”

“So you run the show now.”

“...”

“Am I mistaken?”

“...”

“I've done this before. You're still there. Answer me.”

“Y-Ye...Yeah.”

“Yeah. I'm mistaken.”

“N-No! No! I call all the shots now.”

“You don't inspire. Any. Confidence. In me.”

“Well it's true. And I got your gang to back me up. So you're still around. Big whoop. What are you gonna go, huh? Huh? What are you gonna do, come and get me?”

“I get out in one week. I'm going to give you ten days. For every day that you don't disband the Mumei. I will make you regret. Trying to kill me. And taking everything from me. And if you think. That just because you have the gang backing you up. Means that I can't do any of that. I will show you. With great prejudice. Just how wrong you are. After all. It was never a game of numbers.”

Gulp. “W-Wait, killing you?”

“I was trapped in a dumpster. For three days.”

“You mean you couldn’t get... ohhhhh, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, I totally didn’t mean for that, buck-”

“Yet I didn’t see you. Or anyone. Come to check if I was alright. So cut the crap.”

“Hokkaido, buck, you know I wasn’t meaning to-

“Pick. Do you know. How I was able to tell. You were still on?”

“Huh? Wh-What?”

I hung up and let the ending tone ring.

I was going to die, I thought to myself so many times back then, back there. And in a sense, I was right. The old Hokkaido died in that dumpster. What came out...

The storyteller procured another memento. It was a cracked canvas, completely blank.

Not all mementos have to be something from way back when. Sometimes they just have to remind me of what I went through. And this?

He flipped it over. The back was stained with a black, tar-like substance.

I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.

Footnote: Hokkaido- Level Up! Level 4 Reached!
Perk added: All Night Long- Manehattan never sleeps. Why should you? You consider your END 2 points and your Survival 4 points higher to resist exhaustion or sleep deprivation.
Skills note: Survival- 25

Zoleks- Level Up! Level 4 Reached!

Unlockables added: Soundtrack- The New Player in Town

Soundtrack- Moondrop by DJ H0UND

Soundtrack- Gang Wars... Only Sweeter

Soundtrack- Alone in the Dark