Dry Lands

Chapter Two - The First Job

Luna’s moon was still bright and high in the sky at the time of the newly initiated mafioso waking up. Five Holes wiped the slate from his eye’s only to be greeted by the moon still he got out of bed, and shook himself awake. Today was the start of his new life. Today was the start of him joining his new “Family”.

Trying to be as quiet as possible he slowly walked to the bathroom, and slowly knocked on the door hoping it was quiet enough to hopefully not awake anyone who may be sleeping. The door opened and he stood back to let whomever may be in there past, still rubbing his eyes with a forehoof. “Howdy pardner! Good to see you up so early for work.” Applejack happily, much to the surprise of Five Holes.

“Huh? What? I thought the job weren’t till dis afternoon?” He said sleepily, still yawning to help wake himself up.

“Well, as I said ‘you saved mah sister’ so thanks, but that just meant I was gonna give ya some time to relax for your first job. Speaking of mah sister, BLOOM!”

As quick as can be, Applebloom ran up the stairs with pitta patta of her hoofsteps following behind. “Yeah sis?” How could such a young foal be up and ready before me?

Applejack looked at her little sister with a more serious business looking face on her, “Any news on who it was that was waiting for ya outside Sugarcube Corner?”

With a confused face, she looked at her and slowly said “Um, AJ you know it’s the next morning right? This only happened last night? How am Ah meant to get information that quickly? We just initiated Five Holes.”

As she was about to respond she started pacing back and forth with a touch of worry in her voice for her sister’s well being, “Ah know Applebloom, Ah know. Ah’m just worried ‘bout ya is all. Well look, when ya get the chance try to find out who that stallion was yeah?”

Applebloom simple mimicked her older brother, “Eeyup.” and with that, trotted back down stairs. AJ proceeded to tell Five Holes to go down for a quick breakfast, the earlier the job was done they would hopefully have less trouble with any law enforcers, or worse, rivals. At the very least some no-named gangponies would try to step in but, with Big Mac’s stature, and Five Holes with his piece, it should be a simple cider run. Five Holes started wondering about the stallion he saved Bloom from.

Damn, AJ said the only time we’d ‘ave to kill would be to protect our own but, I was da one who saved Bloom. She didn’t. Shit, I reckon I know who’s gonna be me first bloody kill. Am I really ready for this? Fuck, there ain’t no way out now. Shiiiiit, I’m gonna ‘ave to go through with this damn it! Ah well, crap, be cool, be cool. I just hope nopony... or whoever, get’s in the way. Just a simple cider run. No more, no less. I can do this. How many day’s until they find that stallion, then I gotta be ready ta pull dat bleeting trigger! Fuck it, I can do dis.

******

As Five Holes walked down the stairs to the kitchen he was greeted by all including Grannysmith, “Howdy youngen! Applejack ‘ere says you’re gonna ‘elp us sell some good ol’ cider! I’m glad to ‘ear it as long as you’re a good pony that is of course.”

Finding himself chuckling Five Holes said to her “Yeah I’m real nice pony. I’m real grateful for ya’ll letting me stay ‘ere cheers. I’m gonna ‘elp ya sell all your cider an’ dem some.” Grannysmith smiled at that and motioned for him to join them at the table. Pulling up a stool, Five Holes sat down to enjoy a nice bowl of... oatmeal? Oatmeal? Are dese ponies crazy? Ahh well, can’t complain. Just gotta eat it, not my kinda breakfast but eh. At least they made it for me, already waiting.

******

After the breakfast, Five Holes met Big Mac outside of Sweet Apple Acres who was already waiting with a cart stocked with 10 barrels full of cider but, Big Mac was just uploading a last one. “Eleven barrels? Dat’s a few?” Five Holes asked. Big Mac loaded the eleventh barrel on the cart and turned to Five Holes, “If we don’t need to use it I’ll tell you but, it would be better for me to show you instead. C’mon let’s move, Davenport is waiting for us probably.”

Slightly confused, and following Big Mac, Five Holes said “Ummm ok? So was der any point, me waking up in da afternoon?”

Cooly, Big Mac responded to him, “I would have told Davenport why we were late. He wouldn’t have mind, he would have just been glad Applebloom’s safe.”

Both carried on towards their destination in silence, enjoying the cool morning breeze and listening to birds chirp and sing in glow of the morning sun. During the walk down the dirt path they were currently on, Five Holes looked to the side, at the sun still rising. The golden glow along the horizon, signifying that the new day is surely starting. Wow. Dat’s... such a... beautiful sight. I wonder ‘ow many mornings like dis I still have. What with dis new life of mine I’m starting of course. I’m probably gonna miss dese.

As they continued down the road they were stopped by two mares, one was a purple unicorn, and the other, a pink earth pony. “Freeze! Prohibition Officers.” Said the purple unicorn.

“Hey there Twilight. What’s the problem?” Big Mac replied in a calm manner.

Looking at him with a pair of judgmental eyes, Twilight responded, “We’re here to check these barrels in case of any cider. Any problems with that Big Mac?”

Keeping his stoic look, Big Mac simply responded with “Nope. I’ll show Pinkie Pie the barrels and you can ask any question’s you have to my assistant here.”

What?! Me?! Damn it, what am I s’pose ta say to ‘er?!

Turning her look to Five Holes, Twilight Sparkle looked him and down and asked, “Your assistant? Since when did you need an assistant? Why would anypony mess with you Big Mac? Wouldn’t the mere sight of you scare them? What with your size and all of course.”

“Well Twilight you can never be too careful. You of all ponies should know that, considering what it is do.”

Twilight just looked at him and went “Hmmm.” then motioned Pinkie Pie to check the barrels with Mac. Turning her focus to Five Holes, she asked him “So, how long you been helping Big Mac?”

With a gulp, and trying to stay calm, cool, and collected Five Holes lied “Well today is me first day really. Applejack said Applebloom used ta help deliver da apples with Big Mac but, said it was too risky. Last time she went wit’ ‘im she almost got hurt by some gangponies an’ dey don’t want dat no more.”

Taking note of his accent Twilight asked him where he was from and without letting too much slide he said to her “Well I weren’t born in Equestria but I s’pose ya could say it’s kinda similar ta dem lot in Manehatten ya know.”

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, more so for Big Macintosh’s sake than his, she called out “Hey Pinkie Pie! What we got back there?!”

A short moment later the pink earth pony bounced back, stopping at her partners side “Meh, nothing but apples here Twi.” and she proceeded to take a bit out of a shiny red apple.

With a slight sigh, Twilight looked at Big Mac and said to Pinkie “Well then Pinkie, I guess there’s nothing to report here. Let’s get moving.”

With Twilight walking away, and her pink partner following her close behind Five Holes asked Macintosh, “What? ‘Ow didn’t she find da cider?”

Grinning, Big Mac looked at him and informed him “Pinkie Pie is our mare on the inside. She loves her cider. In fact, she used to be one of our best customers. Always the first in line during cider season, she’d buy around eight to ten mugs of it.”

“So, the eleventh barrel-”

“Is for any bribes we may need. It has some bits, apples and some canteens of cider. Although the cider in that one is hidden at the bottom.”

******

Once at the Quills and Sofas shop, Five Holes knocked three times, waited three seconds, then knocked once more. Just like AJ told me too. A pair of eyes looking through a slot in the door asked “Password?”

Password? Oh right. “Unicorns feather.”

With about half a dozen locks later, the door was opened to an earth pony stallion with a tan coat and brown mane. “Hey Davenport. Here’s that apple delivery ya wanted.”

With a smile on his face he happily greeted “Why hello Big Macintosh, this a new kid you got? Thanks for the delivery, I was starting to run a little low on product.”

With chuckle and grin, Big Mac told him “Well we can’t have that now can we, and yeah this is a new kid we got Five Holes is his name. Also, don’t mention it Davenport anything for a friend.”

Both stallions shared a laugh, then Davenport looked at Five Holes, “So, new kid yeah? Well be careful you hear me? It’s dangerous now-a-days but, as long as you play your cards right you’ll be okay. Don’t forget that yeah? Never step into a fight you don’t need to okay.”

With a simple nod, they all agreed to go in for a few drinks, on the house of course. After all, it was their cider. “I can’t stay too long though fellers, I gotta get back to Applejack and the rest.” Big Mac told us all.

“Yeah of course, I understand Mac don’t worry about it. Your payment is here on the counter of the bar top. All one thousand bits. Still a hundred a barrel right?” Davenport asked, making sure he wasn’t cutting his friend short.

Big Mac gave a nod and reassured him “Eeyup. One hundred per barrel. Thanks Davenport, we really appreciate the business.”

All three sat at the bar and drank, then drank more, and finally finished half a barrel of cider to themselves. Looking at the time, from the clock on the wall above the now wet bar, Big Mac announced “Well you two, I best be going. Hey Five Holes you said you weren’t born in Equestria, do you have a place to stay?”

Trying to keep his head straight, and thoughts coherent (this stallion obviously had to pace his drink unlike Big Macintosh) he slurred slightly “‘Ey? Place ta stay?... Yeah, I gots dis room up in da... inn heh heh. It’s like 25 bits a night. I gots da money fors it buuut.... Um?”

Seeing that the cider seemed to have gone straight to him Big Mac offered “You want me to take you there? I’ll pull some strings and you’ll be able to stay there for free. I mean, we’ll be doing that anyway since you’re working with us now but, I can get it out of the way now if you want?”

Almost falling from his stool, Five Holes drunkenly protested “Nah nah nah mate. Ya ain’ts gots ta do dat all fo’ me noaw ‘ave ya. I c’n get der by meself all fine an’ dandy I’ll ‘ave ya knows.”

Rubbing the back of his mane Big Mac said to him “Well okay, but only because you said so. It’s still light anyway, so you should be alright. Well your payment for the job anyway: 100 bits. You do more, you get more. You understand right?”

Snickering to himself for no apparent reason, and almost stumbling over himself multiple times, Five Holes told Big Mac “Yeah ‘course I understaaand. So I gots dis money fo’ meself? Right, right, don’ts worry I gots ya it’s alright. Well I guess I’ll come on back an’ back won’ I heh heh”

Resisting the urge to facehoof, Big Mac bided both stallions a farewell and left. Leaving Davenport to guide Five Holes out after. After a few minutes of struggle, and falling, Davenport finally got the new (drunken) mafioso kid out of the speak easy. Leaving him to get back to the Ponyville inn intoxicated... alone... when the Prohibition Officers are out.

******

After what should have been a 20 minute walk becoming a 2 hour stroll/stumble (mostly stumble), the newly initiated mafioso went to his room on the second floor after dumping the required 25 bits for the night. His home from home now. A small one room at an inn. Inside there was one single bed, a table end with a candle resting on top, unused. In the corner near the door of the room was a wardrobe (which would finally have some use now with his new uniform) and a small bookshelf for whomever rented the room out, should they wish to read any of the latest novels.

The only thing in the room which interested Five Holes at the moment though was the bed in the middle. However his body had different plans, allowing him to reach halfway before succumbing to the alcohol that was coursing his veins.

‘Ey, dis may not be so bad all da cider I want, and sometimes free? Dis is great, what more could a stallion ask for? Well ‘cept maybe some mares to accompany me tonight. Ah but all in due time, am I right? Of course I’m right. I reckon I may enjoy dis after all. 100 bits all for meself. Dat’ll become 200 tomorrow, and 300 da day after. Who knows how much I could in da future. Thousands. Tens of thousands. I could go at it alone maybe? Nah too stupid. Oh well, time for dreams now anyway.