The Stickup
It was a late night in Ponyvile. Twilight had asked Rainbow Dash to visit the library for some new spells she was testing. As usual, the tests would take place in the basement of the library. Twilight waited the window, waiting for the blue pegasus to arrive. She was late, later than usual. Twilight was starting to fall asleep before she heard a knock.
“I’ll get it!” Twilight yelled, shooting awake. She quickly trotted over to the door and opened it. There stood the blue pegasus she had been waiting for all night.
“I’m sorry I am late Twi, I uh... Fell asleep.” She said while rubbing the back of her head with her foreleg.
“You fell asleep.” Twilight said, clearly not amused. “You sleep fifteen hours a day.”
“Yeah, I know...”
“Look! Can we just get started?” Twilight asked, levitating her friend inside and closing the door.
“Um... where to?” Rainbow asked as she floated in mid air.
“The basement. I will take you!” Twilight said happily as she walked with Dash down the stairs to the basement.
The basement was filled with graphs and electrical equipment. As well as a small frame of some sort big enough to fit a pony.
“Uh... Twilight? What is all this stuff for?” Rainbow asked, confused.
“Well... I have been experimenting with portals. I left one open one night by mistake. I came down here one morning and found a package of grass and a black thing.” Twilight replied while putting Rainbow Dash down.
“Thats, interesting, you think it goes to somewhere in Equestria?” Rainbow walked over to the small frame and taped it with her hoof.
“Um. I was trying to figure that out, so I threw my smarty pants doll in there with a return address. I’m still waiting.”
“What if it goes to space?” Rainbows eyes grew wide as she said that.
“Space?” Twilight asked. “Then how would this get there?” Twilight held up the package.
“There could be grass in space.”
“Not likely Rainbow.” Twilight said, putting the ‘grass’ down.
“Fine, what am I doing here? Couldn’t you go by yourself?” Rainbow asked as she sniffed a test tube.
“Yes, but if I was transported to the middle of the desert, I would need you to call for help.” Twilight replied.
“Fair enough. Lets get started!” Rainbow exclaimed.
“Okay... stand here.” Rainbow did as she asked. Twilight charged up her magic and shot a magical bot into the center of the frame. The portal lit up and created a small orb that expanded until it reached the frame. It was a black and grey portal emitting particles of black dust, which disappeared as they flew into the air.
“I have checked the toxicity levels, we should be fine.” Twilight said, walking towards the portal.
“Um you sure Twi? It looks dangerous.” Rainbow Dash backed up abit.
“Only one way to know for sure!” Twilight said as she levitated Rainbow dash into the air.
“Woah... Twilight... No please!” She pleaded, but Twilight had other ideas. With a whirl, Twilight sent Rainbow through the portal. With a flash she was gone.
“Well... that solves one problem. I'm kidding.” Twilight laughed to herself before leaping through.
The portal left the two ponies gasping for air as they were squished together in a tight spot. Twilight felt her way around.
“Ow!” Rainbow squeaked from beside her. “Where are we?”
“I don't know, in a box? Good thing there are holes.” Twilight whispered to Rainbow as she took a breath.
“Hey, look. More of those grass packages!” Rainbow nudged Twilight. They were laying on top of them.
“Help!” Twilight tried to scream. But nopony came.
***
Luis eyed his phone. The text he had gotten from Henrique had told him to be Fortside, Bohan. He had been waiting for five minutes before seeing a black cavalcade roll up to him.
“Okay A. You gonna tell me what the order of the day is?” Luis said as he got in the driver seat while Armando moved to the passenger.
“Same old L. We ripping people off. Hoping to walk away from this one with something some cat’s got for sale, and the cash someone was hoping to spend on it.” Armando said as he pulled out a glock from the glove box.
“So we making two sets of enemies? Sounds like the rest of my life!” Luis took control of the wheel and sped down the street.
Crossing East Borough Bridge, Luis came to a stop at the toll booth before paying the five dollars admission. The bar went up and he drove through Charge Island. He entered East Island City speeding through the the stop lights. It wasn't a busy day, most cars were off the street by now.
“You know, I feel bad for you, L.” Henrique said from the back seat.
“Why? ‘Cause we could both end up dead or in jail in the next few minutes?” Luis turned the wheel avoiding a taxi.
“No, because you want to be something you ain’t. You want to be a business guy, and you just a street thug. Me, I know my place.” Henrique said laughing at the cab driver.
“Thanks, H. Sure, I got a temper, But I don’t see life that way.” Luis made a left on YorkTown Ave.
“It’s just up here.” Armando told Luis.
Luis rammed through a barrier, smashing half of their crew with his black cavalcade. Blood splattered through the grill. Nothing Pay ‘n’ Spray couldn’t fix.
“You come to close, motherfucker. You pay bigtime!” One of the rival gang members yelled, spraying gunfire across the car.
“Shit, Get down!” Henrique screamed.
Luis got out of the car making his way around it. He took cover behind the cavalcade, as did A. and H. Luis handed Armando an AA-12 from the back of the SUV. Henrique grabbed a Mac 10 from his side and blind fired at the enemy. Luis grabbed his Deagle from his jacket pocket and fired at a gang member, closest to the crate they were after, and hit him in the face.
“Hey! Watch the shit bro! That stuff is expensive!” Armando yelled at Luis while opening up another gang member with his AA-12.
“You're telling me! That shit sprays!” Luis said dropping a couple more enemies behind a banshee.
Armando and Henrique made their way to the crate and picked it up, avoiding any gunfire as Luis covered them. They placed the crate in the back of the cavalcade and closed the trunk.
“L. The money’s there, scoop that paper up, bro!” Henrique said jumping in the back seat.
“Okay man!” Luis ran up to the cash and swung the bag over his shoulder while scooping up a glock from the floor. Now dual wielding, he ran back to the car blasting at the last three rivals. Luis hopped in the driver seat and sped off with A. and H. hanging out the busted windows with their weapons ready.
“Man, I’m gonna party so hard with this money.” Henrique climbing back in the SUV.
“Let’s wait until we in the clear before we think about partying.” Luis said as he turned the car, entering Cerveza Heights.
“Ay Dios mio, you so damn boring.”
“I’m sorry, Shall we stop and get you a drink and a handjob now, mutherfucker?” Luis yelled as he veered into the driveway of the drop off. They got out of the car and took the crate out of the trunk.
“Hey, we either got extra, or something cause it ain’t supposed to be this heavy man.” Henrique said carrying the crate with Armando.
“Man, we gonna get paid!” Armando told the other two.
“Hey, don't waste all that money. I’ll see you two later.” Luis said as he walked off into the streets of Liberty City.
Chinese Takeout
“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash tried to yell through the loud noises.
“What!” Twilight happened to barely hear her.
“What is going on!” Rainbow continued to yell.
“I have no idea!” Both of their ears were ringing because of the gunfire. They could hear voices outside of the crate. Rainbow tried to look out of one of the holes. She could see a wall. That was about it. Suddenly, a splat of red hit the wall followed by manly screaming.,
“Ew ew ew ew!” Rainbow Screamed.
“What!?” Twilight asked curiously as she moved around rapidly, trying to avoid whatever Rainbow was looking at.
“Blood! Lots of blood!” Rainbow screamed while panting.
“Where?” Twilight was still trying to move around.
“Outside!” Rainbow Dash was screamin.
“What? Bu-” Twilight stopped talking when she felt the box being lifted up. Both Rainbow and Twilight could hear more voices outside followed by gunshots. They both felt a thud as they were put into the trunk of the cavalcade.
“L. The money’s there, scoop that paper up, bro!” Was all they could hear before their ears began to ring again. gunfire. A few minutes later they were moving.
“What is happening?” Rainbow asked Twilight quietly.
“Are we on a boat?” Twilight turned back to Rainbow Dash. The sway of the car made them roll around in the box and crash into each other.
“Oof!”
“Ow!”
They both tried to keep quiet while moving around in the box. They could hear more voices. What were they talking about? Twilight heard one of the male voices talking about being in the clear. He sounded like he knew what to do. Were they being rescued? Her mind wandered in thought.
“Hey... what do you think is going on?” Rainbow Dash asked Twilight while nudging her.
“I don't know?” She replied as quietly as she could.
After a few minutes of swaying and rolling in the box, they came to a stop. Rainbow and Twilight kept quiet.They were lifted off the cavalcade.
“Hey, we either got extra, or something cause it ain’t supposed to be this heavy man.”
Rainbow tired to look out of the box. She could see the cavalcade and a weird figure standing next to it. It was like nothing she had ever seen before! It was bipedal. It had blue jeans and a black jacket. It also had a short manecut like some of the wonderbolt academy stallions. Was it playing with paper?
“Hey, don't waste all that money. I’ll see you two later.” It said as it walked off. Rainbow decided to call it a he because he sounded like a male.
“What was that?” She said as she moved around and looked at Twilight.
“I don't know?” Twilight said shivering in fear as she saw him as well. They both felt the box being set down on the hard ground.
“Let’s get this thing open!” One of them said.
“Uh-oh...” Rainbow whispered to Twilight. They soon felt the box being impaled with a metal bar.
***
-One day later-
Luis dove down the main street, with Tony Prince, in a black Schafter. He swerved in and out of lanes. The LCPD didn't care if you ran a red light anymore, but barely tap a cop car and you’re dead. Luis turned right on a surface street and made his way into chinatown.
“We got to go to Dragon Heart Plaza.” Tony said cringing as Luis almost hit a biker. “I got this gun for you, Luis. It helps to be prepared.” Tony handed him a suppressed P90.
“Yo, we prepared for the apocalypse with this shit, Tony. This is hardcore.” Luis looked at the submachine gun.
“Yeah, well, I know a guy.” Tony placed the P90 on the floor of the car.
“What we doing in Chinatown?” Luis asked as he ran another red light.
“Take a guess, another job for that Rocco.”
“Oh yeah? That moron pal of yours. After what happened at the driving range? We still owe that fuck?”
“I’ve done a lot of dumb things in my life, Luis, but none of them were dumber than borrowing from those pricks.” Tony peered out the window.
“Really, Tone, because you done some real dumb things. I mean, you’re still going out with Evan.”
“This is serious! The fucking mafia!” Tony shouted in the car. “Even if we did have the money to pay them back they wouldn’t take it. They’re gonna ride us into the ground.”
“But you don’t have the money, do you, Tone?” Luis made a quick right. “Hey, what about that thing in london? That going to pull us through this?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Shit, London ain’t happening.” Tony watched for any suspicious cars. “And I wouldn’t travel to that side of the pond any time soon. If you were thinking about it.”
“Fuck, bro. Thanks for keeping me in the loop, again.” Luis parked the car and got out. “We are here.”
They made their way up to the fourth floor of the plaza.
***
“Hey, Look! We’re not lawyers. Okay? We run nightclubs. Pretty badly, too.” Luis tried to talk with the man in charge of the plaza. “We got enough Trouble keeping the licences on our own clubs. Okay? We don’t do licences.”
“Before I was being polite, Mr. Lopez, but I do not have to be.” The man said. “Mr. Pelosi made it clear that you are not in a position to choose who you hep and who you do not.”
“Yeah, well that kid’s got a big mouth, okay? and he ain’t in no position to be writing checks for us. Okay?” Luis turned to the door in the small, poorly built room. “We are not going to be able to help you. Period. Let’s go, Tone.”
“Sorry to waste your time, Mr...” Tony was cut off my the man's sudden outburst.
“You are not going anywhere until we have an arrangement!”
“No, I’m afraid we are. There is no arrangement.” Luis turned back to the manager. “You got a problem? Take it up with your boy Rocco.”
“You are not negotiating column inches and bar tabs, you insolent fuck!” The man said pulling out a glock and aiming it at Luis. “We are serious people.”
“Really?” Luis looked unphased.
“Yeah. Really.” The man replied with force. Luis chuckled before kicking the gun out of his hand. The man shot the ceiling and alerted his men. Luis punched him in the face and knocked him out instantly.
“What is wrong with you? I was supposed to be the irrational idiot with anger issues?” Tony looked at the unconscious man.
“The guy threatens to shoot me because I can’t arrange a liquor license for him. Please, give me a break T.” Luis pulled out his P90 and took cover behind some dry wall.
“His guys are coming! They heard that shot.” Tony cowered behind Luis.
Right on cue, a Triad turned the corner into the room. He was soon met with a chest full of bullets. Luis brought him down, blood splattering against the new walls of the plaza. Luis turned the corner and slowly walked down the hall. The place was filled with Triads. He turned another corner and a Triad rolled into the room on his knees, surprising Luis. Luis kicked his jaw and pelted him against the ground. Bullets spraying into him. He motioned to Tony giving him the ‘all clear’. Tony followed Luis into the hallway. Soon the hallway opened up into a large room with cubicles. Bullets whizzed past Luis’ head. Tony stayed back while Luis moved up behind some boxes.
“It ain’t me going down!” Luis shouted as he reloaded the P90.
“Fucking psychopaths!” Tony yelled from behind.
“You scare now?” One of the Triads said.
“Calm the fuck down!” Luis pulled back the release and fired at him getting a headshot! “Your beef ain’t with us man.”
“Find a happy place. Find a happy place.” Tony kept repeating. “Not fucking fun!”
“Fuckin’ Chinatown!” Luis shot at another Triad, clearing the room. He and Tony made their way to the stairs and walked down into the lobby. It was filled with Triads behind every corner.
“I’m gonna kill Rocco when we get out of here.” Luis reloaded his weapon.
“You are dead motherfuckers!” A Triad screamed before getting shot in the head.
“I’ve had enough of this Bullshit!” Luis said, gun blazing. Suddenly a Triad rolled a grenade towards Luis. “Shit Nade!” Luis yelled as he kicked it back. It exploded, sending three Triads against a wall and sharpnel piercing everything. “I knew Rocco was a peice of shit, what did we get into?”
“Does it matter? Just get us out of it!” Tony slowly took cover as Luis moved up. Four Triads came in with Ak’s firing on their position.
“You motherfucking cock sucking sons-a-bitches.” Tony yelled.
“Give it to ‘em, man. Maybe your words is gonna scare ‘em off.” Luis blind-fired from behind cover hitting two Triads in the legs. They screamed as the fell, clutching their thighs. “Bring it!” Luis yelled as he dove out of cover and fired at the two remaining Triads in the room. As Luis landed on the floor, so did they. Luis got up and Tony followed him into another hall. They were nearly out. Three Triads turned into the hall and held Uzi’s.
“If I don't make it, the clubs are yours, Luis.” Tony said as he took cover.
“That mean the debt’s mine, too? You can keep it.” Luis fired around the corner and took out two of the Triads. “Fuck you!” Luis took out the last two. “Tony. Move up to me.”
“Perfect, just perfect!” Tony made his way to luis as they exited the building. “I can't believe we made it out of there. That was worse than spin class. My fucking heart.” They both jumped in the car and drove off. Luis’s phone started to ring. The caller ID belonged to Armando. He asnwered.
“Hey, What up A?” He drove down Lower Easton. “Yeah... what about the stash?... What? What are you talking about? Horses? Did you and H. use it all up already?... Fuck! Alright... I will come by. Hold on.” Luis Hung up the phone and turned to Tony.”Hey, I need to go. Some trouble with... something.” He said as he pulled over.
“What?” Tony was confused. He couldn't put the conversation together.
“Nothing... just look after yourself T.” Luis said as he stepped out of the car. Tony took the wheel.
“Alright Lu.” Tony sped off. Luis waved down a cab. The taxi stopped and he got in.
“Were to?” The cab driver asked.
“Cerveza Heights.”