//------------------------------// // The Interrogation // Story: The Silanos // by Kama and Hallie //------------------------------// The Silanos' car, driven by Vincenzo De Luca, stopped directly in front of Cherry Hill Ranch. This farm stood out from the rest of the landscape of Dodge Junction, being the only patch of green in the middle of nothing but orange rocks and sand. It took a little while to get to here from Ponyville by car, but Roberto thought it was worth it to figure out if their is a plot against his life. The four of them stepped out of the car and walked into the farm's fields, but not before Gabriele took out a baseball bat out of the car's trunk to carry with him. Cherry Hill Ranch's fields were quite a pretty sight. Surrounded by many pink trees with blossoms falling down and cherries ripe for the taking, and especially knowing this was in the middle of a pretty barren desert, gave a pretty peaceful feeling to Roberto. After a while, they found their target. On a ladder leaning against one of the cherry trees was a red-haired human man picking off fresh cherries off the branches, it didn't take a genius to figure out that was Leroy. As soon as the red-haired man climbed down the ladder and saw the men heading toward him, he dropped his baskets full of cherries in surprise. "You guys?! H-hey! What are you guys doing here?" Leroy said nervously. "We are here about two pretty important issues, Leroy," Roberto answered, his mouth still having the cigar in it. "We're here 'cause one o' the cherries from ya farm nearly killed my father," Gabriele said while repeatedly hitting the bat into his hand. "An' ya still haven't paid the four-'undred bits ya owe me fa ya bet on the pony-racin'," Vincenzo added. "Oh, we're still concerning ourselves about that? C'mon, it's been two months, Vincent," Leroy said, desperately trying to defuse the situation. "Yeah, that's the point, jackass! Ya wrote it down on paper that ya bet on that stallion, Fast Track, ta win, an' ya bet four-'undred bits on 'im! I got it all in writing! Now pay up!" Vincenzo started to lose his patience, and Gabriele was as well. "C'mon, man! He was the most reassuring winner I could think of! I mean, with a name like that. Plus, I was planning on betting on the one who eventually did win, Quick Sprint, but you said that he had arthritis or something like that, so I swithced my bet," Leroy explained. "What? No, I was talkin' about Fast Track. He was the one who had arthritis. Ya musta misheard me." "No, I'm pretty sure you were talking about Quick Sprint. Also, why'd you even let a stallion with arthritis compete in-" Leroy tried to say before Vincenzo suddenly pulled out a gun and aimed it directly at Leroy's head. "Ya gettin' smart with me, huh?! Little punk!" Vincenzo shouted. "Ya wanna break ya neck fallin' from one o' these trees?! Have an accident in ya pathetic freelancin' life?!" Gabriele added. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, man!" Leroy pleaded, as he got down on his knees with his hands raised. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Vincenzo said as he put his gun back. This time, Ainsley and Roberto stepped forward towards Leroy. "Besides, we're not here about the racing, we're here to ask you about the recent large delivery of cherries to Sugarcube Corner in Ponyville today! God, I can't believe I'm going along with this," Ainsley whispered under his breath. "Who's this guy?" Leroy asked, pointing at Ainsley. "I'm his son," Ainskey sighed, gesturing toward Roberto. "You're his son? What? No way, man. You don't even look li-" "We ain't here ta talk about my son's geneology! We're here ta talk about ya recent cherry deliveries!" Roberto interrupted. "Why? What about it?" Leroy asked. Roberto spoke this time, now taking the cigar out of his mouth. "It jus' seems like a pretty damn interesting coincidence, that ya should jus' so happen ta send a large shipment o' cherries from ya farm, to the place I was scheduled to eat today, where I'd potentially choke on one o' ya cherries. An' while you's so deep in debt as well. Pretty damn conveniant, ain't it?" "What? Are you suggesting I was trying to kill you by sending in a large delivery of cherries to a bakery? That does not make any fucking sense. Besides, you're forgetting that this isn't even my farm. This place belongs to Cherry Jubilee. I think she's on the other side of the fields somewhere. I'm just staying here for a few days to help her out." "An' how long 'ave ya been stayin' 'ere?" Roberto asked. "A couplea days, I guess." Leroy answered. "Then that still gives ya enough time ta research my schedule fa today, pick enough cherries, an' try ta set things in motion." "What?! That's ridiculous, man!" "That's what I've been saying!" Ainsley blurted out. "Shut up, son. I'm talkin' right now." Roberto gestured at Ainsley. "But even if that was a hit, which it wasn't, why would I rely on you choking on a cherry to assassinate you? That's leaving a lot of things to chance. I'd just go with a more traditional approach. Besides, if there's any one of you I'd try to kill, it'd be Vincent over there. The one who's been breathing down my neck these past two months," Leroy said. "Watch ya mouth, punk," Vincenzo growled. "Ya'd also have ta try an' ta infiltrate me ta figure out my schedule, maybe by someone from inside. Then you'd have ta get those three fillies ta arrive at the bakery at jus' the right time when I'm eatin' the cherry, since ya'd also get inside information that I always eat the cherries first," Roberto continued, his tone completely serious. Leroy's face just looked even more confused than before. Unable to process what he just heard suggested to him. "I'm sorry, which three fillies?" "Uh...hey, son. Ya know about these horses betta' than us. Ya know their names?" Roberto asked Ainsley. "Oh, those three call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Pretty popular around town, turns out. They apparently help other ponies with their cutie marks or somethin," Ainsley answered. "What the hell is even a cutie mark?" "Y'know, those tattoos all the ponies have on their asses?" "That's what they's called? Yeesh, what a terrible name. What's the deal with those?" "They apparently represent a pony's special talent. They just kinda appear when you discover what you're good at." Ainsley answered again. "Dad, how do you not know this stuff? We've been here long enough to open up a restaurant. Wait, no, two restaurants! The other's in Canterlot!" "I only know what I need to know." "This is basic pony biology and culture, Dad! I'm pretty sure you should at least know something like this." "Um, guys? Are you forgetting about me?" Leroy interrupted. "Oh, right." Roberto cleared his throat. "So ya coulda jus' talked ta these Crusader Girls or whateva' the hell they's called, an' made sure they came to the bakery at jus' the right time." "Man, how the hell could anyone set up a hit like that? I've never even talked to the Crusaders before in my life! Okay, maybe I've ran into them a couplea times, but I've never actually talked to them. What you're suggesting right now is a pretty near-impossible elaborate plan that would leave a lot, and I mean a lot of things to chance!" "See, Dad? Even he agrees," Ainslet said again. "Son, fa the last time, stop bein' a smartass," Roberto silenced Ainsley again. "I've had a lotta hits attempted on me back on Earth that seemed ridiculous an' defied logic, an' now we're in a world of dragons and talkin' horses that can fly or move stuff with their minds, even move the fuckin' sun an' moon! So no, I don't think someone tryin' ta kill me with a cherry an' a conveniantly timed schedule is too far fetched ta believe in our current circumstances," he continued, which only caused Ainsley to groan in frustration. "Besides, maybe you should try talking to the Crusaders. Since, from what you've told me, they're the ones who caused your choking," Leroy suggested. "I was actually plannin' on doin' that. Ay, Ainsley, ya know the names o' the three fillies?" Roberto turned to Ainsley. Ainsley nodded. "Yeah, I think I do. I'm pretty sure two of them are the little sisters of the Council of Friendship members. There's uh...Apple Bloom, she's Applejack's sister, the orange one with the cowboy hat..." "Of course. Apple-themed," Gabriele commented. "...there's Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister, the white unicorn with the stylish hair. And lastly there's Scootaloo, I don't think she's related to any of them, but she's pretty close with Rainbow Dash. Pretty sure I don't need to tell you which one she is." "Alright then, Leroy. I'm gonna leave ya alone fa now, but don't think I won't keep my eye on ya," Roberto turned to the red-haired man who was kneeling on the ground, who got up to his feet again when he heard this. "Oh, thanks, sir. So we're done here?" Leroy asked. "Almost. You two can continue with the business about the racin' money now," Roberto said to Gabriele and Vincenzo as he and Ainsley walked away. "What?!" "Ya heard 'im. Four-'undred bits. C'mon, where is it?" Vincenzo asked. "Look, man. I've got four-hundred bits in my pocket, but it's literally all the money I have, I'll go bankrupt. Just gimme at least one more month to also earn some money for myself." "There isn't gonna be a fuckin' next month! I want the money now!" Gabriele chimed in, baseball bat still in hand. "Look, it's one or the other, Leroy. Either ya lose ya money or ya lose ya kneecaps." "Well, I still need to have some money to feed myself, man. And also some to help me to get back to Ponyville an-" Suddenly, Gabriele swung his bat and hit Leroy's right knee, causing him to scream in pain and fall to the ground. "I warned ya, jackass! Last chance, or I'll aim for ya head this time!" Gabriele warned, preparing to swing his bat again. "Alright, alright! Here! Just take it!" Leroy cried as he pulled out the a bag full of bits and threw it towards Gabriele, wincing from the pain in his knee. "See, now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Vincenzo said. "Don't try pullin' shit like this again, capiche?" Vincenzo warned Leroy one last time while he walked away. "Fine, I won't," Leroy answered weakly as he tried to get back up on his feet. "If Cherry Horse asks ya what 'appened, jus' tell 'er ya fell off the ladder," Gabriele told the hurting man. "Don't worry, I was thinking the same thing." Gabriele now turned around and walked away to join the others. "Hey, uh...why don't you try having mares compete in the races?" Leroy suddenly asked. Gabriele turned around and just stared at Leroy with a confused look on his face. "What? What kinda question is that?" "I'm just saying, mares seem to be the more...top-dog ones here compared to the stallions. Ya see them a bit more often than the guys. Why don't you have them compete in the races too?" "'Cause a stallion is still bigger, faster, stronger, an' more biologically fit fa racin'. Doesn't matter whether the females are more in charge 'ere or not," Gabriele answered, with a clear frustration in his tone. "Well, I guess I'm just trying to say it wouldn't hurt to have mares participate in your races. The choices are mostly Earth ponies, right? I mean, Ponyville is a mostly Earth pony town anyway, so you'd have limitless choices. And y'know, adding mares would make the race and the betting more...diverse, y'know? The mares here are pretty damn fast too, as far as I know. Or they could still be weaker, and maybe that could make betting for someone like me easier, y'know?" Leroy smiled innocently at the end. Gabriele just silently stared at Leroy, his face clearly saying he was not amused by Leroy's suggestion in the slightest. He then pulled out his stiletto switchblade and pointed it in Leroy's direction. "How 'bout I jus' cut ya fuckin' balls off an' ya can jus' fill in that part an' race yaself?! That sound good to ya?!" Leroy's eyes widened at this. "Never mind! Never mind! Forget I said anything!" he chuckled nervously. "Jackass," Gabriele whispered under his breath as he put his stiletto back in his pocket and walked away, leaving Leroy all alone. As the Silanos drove back to Ponyville, Roberto continued doing more research on information of their next suspects, mostly from what Ainsley knows. On the three fillies, as well as their sisters and what their importance is. "So these three fillies are related to three of the Council of Friendship members, each o' them bein' extremely famous an' influential in one way or anotha'," Roberto analyzed the information given to him. "One owns the biggest farm in Ponyville an' has a family spread throughout the country, one is a famous an' successful fashionista, an' one's a famous athlete o' some kind an' influences the weather?" "Don't forget all of them saved Equestria from doom several times," Ainsley added. "Y'know, son, like I says before, if we continue this investigation an' manage ta get close ta all these council members, we'll not only figure out if someone out there out ta get me, we'll also expand our business ta massive lengths by teamin' up with the members, an' if we really gain their trust we'll also able ta get ta the Princess. Then we can run things from the shadows, an' make it easier to do our more...secret businesses behind everyone's backs, an' with the Council o' Friendship an' Princess by our side, we'll be hard ta touch by the authorities." "I told you, Dad, nobody's out to get y...you know what? Forget it. But I agree with what you just said. We'll become richer than before!" "Yeah, we'll double our money an' influence by havin' it come from two worlds! Plus, it'll be easier considerin' these horses probably don't know any betta' about our kinda business an' products," Gabriele added. "Exactly. Not sure how well this'll work, but ya can't improve business without takin' a few risks, right?" Roberto said. The car continued driving back to Ponyville, as the Silanos continued planning their next steps.