//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The Fall: Part 1 // Story: The Black Cello Mafia // by WolfOblivion //------------------------------// The Black Cello Mafia Chapter 4: The Fall: Part 1 Octavia ran through the shattered glass doors of Filthy Rich's building, and stumbled right into a composition of death, blood, and castrated organs everywhere. Bodies mangled by explosions, flack lying about the lobby and a small whimpering from behind the desk.Galloping towards it, Octavia looked behind to find the secretary cowering there. She shoved her legs up at Octavia in a defensive stance, but the mafia pony just ignored it. "Get out! There's no telling how bad this'll get." Octavia ordered the still frightened mare. She nodded and burst through the lobby and out onto the street. Octavia looked to the still operating elevator, preparing her self mentally and emotionally to head into the battle taking place. From within the lobby, she could hear the berating gun shots echoing out of the shattered windows, the screaming of ponies being burned or exploded alive. Apple Bucker slid out from it's holster like silk as Octavia pressed the down button on the elevator. Leaning against the front of the desk, she waited until she heard a ding to signify that the elevator had arrived. She sprung from her cover and aimed at a very confused pegasi holding a Thompson with a sling over his shoulder, pulling the trigger and splattering his brains against the ceiling and wall. Octavia ran inside and took the Thompson over her shoulder and punched the up button to Filthy's office. The elevator rose with a sickly groan, shuttering from age old gears and wires pulling the weight of ponies for years. Then it stopped, the lights flickering and a screeching cry emitting from all around. Confused, Octavia kept pushing the button. When no result came, she pushed the emergency button, opening the doors just slightly. A small crack of an upper floor appeared just big enough for Octavia to slide through. Peeking through the crack, she saw cubicles ruptured from the ground and tables turned over for cover. The strong pounding of a machine gun dominated her hearing. She put both her hooves onto the doors and pushed them with all her might. Finally the doors gave way and Octavia climbed through the crevice, rolling into an open cubicle. Seeing a couple Earth mafia members running past her cubicle, Octavia crawled onto of the desk and looked over the wall to observe the battlefield. Pegasi and Earth mafia fought a three way firefight with the police. Papers were scattered and flame licked at the ceiling from the carpet, sending hot ash around the room. It was evident that the Pegasi had come in with explosives, the Earth ponies were either defending or sent for backup, and the police obviously arrived for the violence. Though none of it seemed to be organized as ponies ran in different section, firing at whatever faction they were not a part of. From all this Octavia saw and began to forge a plan. To clear the way and make it to Filthy's office; find out what had happened. Or find out if he was even alive anymore. Vaulting over the wall, Octavia threw the machine gun's handle into her right hoof and crawled along the right column of cubicles. Reaching the end, a blue pegasi stallion in a brown suit ran around the corner and stopped to stare at the mare in front of him. Taking a moment to register, Octavia stood on her front hooves and bore the stallion down with hot flying lead, blood spurting out of his wounds in short but frequent bursts. Stepping over the twitching body and blood pool, Octavia found the door leading to the staircase. Dodging and incoming attacks, she hastily dove inside and slammed the door behind her. The sounds of battle kept pursuing Octavia the higher she climbed towards the 30th floor, Filthy's office space. She had started from the 5th floor when the elevator broke down. It was around the 23rd floor when someone blew a hole into the wall and showed Octavia with debris. Luckily not having been knocked too hard due to the staircase's metal guards, she turned to hurriedly escape before she noticed the blockage of cement and what seemed like blood dripping from the cracks. "Damn it!" Octavia cried. The last two options were to enter the 23rd floor or go back down and look for another way. A single crack sounded out among the others as Octavia's fedora went flying across the steep staircase, a police pony holding a colt in his hooves and standing among the destroyed wall separating the staircase and the room. "Drop the weapon ma'm!" He ordered, a baffled Octavia looking back at him. Loosening her tie, Octavia drove her right hoof into her holster, coming back out with Apple Bucker and a quick bullet through the stallions head ended the encounter. She slung the Thompson over her shoulder again and peeked out of the large hole. Instead of an office, this room was a large waiting room with glass doors at one end of the room. Shattered already of course. The entire room was occupied by only police and Earth mafia as the rage a battle among the seats. The situation seemed to be growing worse by the minute, and the impossibilities perpetually stacked against Octavia's shoulder like ten ton weights. It's like the entire MHPD is here! This is starting to get unbelievable. A stark Pegasi attack and then a full out war among three factions in one building? I can only imagine what's going on outside. =-=-=-=-= Applejack ran back inside of the warehouse, confused of what was going on and the intensity of the situation. Bursting out of the back entrance, Applejack galloped down the alleyway and onto a fire escape. The slanted stairs provided a entry way up the metal tower. Though Octavia was one of the best fighters Applejack has ever seen, it still probably wouldn't be enough for whatever was happening. Something big enough the the Earth mafia headquarters was waging a war within itself? Not likely one mare could conquer it. Applejack arrived at her destination and threw up the window, climbing through the window sill and promptly jumping to the soft carpet below. The lights were off and the room smelled of booze and shame. Applejack looked back and forth before spotting the familiar shape in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. "We need your help. Everyone will die unless you do." Applejack pleaded at the shape. It sat silently, a bottle of whiskey by it's hoof and a somber desperation took over its body expression. It stared out of the window, looking out to the skyline and inevitably the tower of flames that was currently a raging war. No sound came as the shape turned it's neck and looked to a small picture from on top of the mantle piece. Reaching for it, the pony's fur showed a dulling from it's usually vibrant color. The pony grasped it in their hoof, pulling it closer towards their face. "Why?" The pony asked in a unemotional tone. "Why should I help you?" Applejack stitched her eyebrows in frustration. "Because I saved your life you ungrateful bitch." The pony slowly raised it's head when Applejack had said this. Silence proceeded Applejack's ears, so quiet it almost deafened her with the lack of noise. Then; a slow creaking of the rocking chair in front of the fireplace, the pony turned. Though Applejack couldn't see, she could feel the ice cold glare she was being given, a true death stare. A guttural growl emitted from the pony in the rocking chair, growing ever louder. The mane of the pony shifted forward as they jerked the head a little, a sickly and almost greasy curtain of pink hair showed. Compared to the ponies emotion at the moment, it was well suited. "HOW DARE YOU!" The pink mare darted from her chair, leaping at the apple pony and pinning her to the ground. Applejack struggled against the pressure, trying to speak out. Except only two words came out. "Pinkie...please..." The pink mare rose up from the struggling Applejack, the sunlight from the second window finally illuminating her face. Her eyes were populated by visible blood vessels, running all the way into her pupils. Her mane was slick and kept down, no longer clumped in messy knots. As her leg had shown earlier, her fur had begun to dull out and was matted down. A sore sight against Applejack's eyes and memories. "No. I will not help you Applejack. Leave." Pinkie stood off of Applejack, walking back to her chair and taking a swig of her whiskey. Applejack stood up and rubbed at her neck. She stared after Pinkie as she set down to empty bottle and sat at the window. "Pinkie. I need your help or important people will die, and soon enough, we will all be on the run. If you don't come now, everything will go to shit." Pinkie ignored Applejack and persistently looked out of the window. Turning, Applejack looked out the window facing the building, watching the fire and the flashing of gun muzzle. Pinkie sighed. "What do you mean Applejack? For me, everything has been shit ever since we almost died that day, living in this apartment, wallowing in self hate as everypony else went on to bigger and better things. After Twilight left me for dead." Applejack felt rage flare in her belly, making her mouth twist in a sneer. She rushed towards the pink mare, clamped her hooves on her shoulders and stared deep into her confused eyes as she screamed. "Fine! You want some fucking redemption? THEN HELP PINKIE!" Pinkie went limp, sliding out from Applejack's grip. Applejack had no time to react as Pinkie shifted and swept her legs out from under her, falling to the ground with a large thud. Pinkie stood above her with a deadly gaze, studying her expression. Applejack lay on the ground and panted slightly, completely vulnerable to depressed mare. Then, she stood up and walked towards the closet, pulling out a shotgun. "Come on then, you can explain on the way." Pinkie pulled a cigarette pack and a lighter from the same closet, lighting one of them while in her mouth. Applejack stood and followed Pinkie out of the door of her small apartment. She didn't know how to feel about working with Pinkie after the things they've been through, but as the situation was bound to worsen, she needed all the help she could afford.