Chapters Chapter One: The Wonderbolt's Loan
I stood at my door ready to greet the start that would be arriving tonight, the Wonderbolt, known as Soarin'. I smiled as I spotted him step out of his limousine, and was relived there was no paparazzi. He took those step toward my doorway, and I stared at my reflection in the glass. My mane was a dark purple, matching my tail, my jaw looked like it was a mare's, (yes with the whole not-square thing) and i had a deep voice, don't get me wrong, and I was indeed a stallion, my coat was a jet-black and my cutie mark was an ace of diamonds. Soarin' entered the door, and shook my hand.
"Good to see you again, man, I got money to blow and you know where i go to lose it!"
"Indeed, it's good to see you again, Soarin' so, you decided to hit on your captain yet?"
"Nah, she aint worth it... i'm already swimming in ladies." I smiled, tonight was gonna be fun.
"so, Soarin' what're you gonna use tonight at my little casino of horrors?" I asked motioning to the slot machines and to the card games arranged all over the casino.
"I'm going for twenty-one tonight, Jack. Feelin' lucky..." he looked confident, and I knew the man was a stroke of genius at cards... just nothing else.
"I am required by law to tell you that if you take a loan, and lose it, there will be trouble..." he shrugged and speed walked to the blackjack table. I laughed quietly and watched him go. "What a sap..."
I began to make my way up to the camera room, and took a seat in the comfy little chair that had the monitors showing me the casino. I leaned to the microphone that led to my son's earpiece. "Hey, looks like we got a card counter at blackjack table four.." I watched as my son, a unicorn, like me, but with a green coat and purple main approached the unsuspecting mare. Both he and I wore black tuxedos. He tapped her shoulder and escorted her out. About five minutes after i head a buzz at my office door.
"Hey, uhh Jack? I lost the money i brought and the night is barely started... mind if I uhh.... take a loan?" The blue stallion gave my a nervous look, as if i'd say no to him... no, that wasn't the case. I smiled and reached into my jacked, removing the small roll of cash that was about a thousand, and pushing it in his jacket pocket.
"Does this answer your question silly filly? Now, run off, and if that loan is gone, you know how it happens..." The blue Pegasus ran off with a smile on his face, I smiled back, he still had a lot of life left, but not as much if he lost my loan... I returned to my chair, or at least was trying to, but Bruce stopped me.
"Uhh... Mr. Boss... sir... Jack?" He started, quite dumbly "I was a wondering if I could take the rest of the night at somewhere else?" He was an earth pony, with a green coat and pink man, it was weird, just like him.
"Do you mean take the night off, Bruce?" I replied, seeing him nod as I placed a hand on my forehead. "Yeah... go ahead... we can handle it from here." He grinned big and picked my up in a bear-hug. "Bruce,,, we've discussed... I like oxygen... in my lungs..." He dropped me and ran out the door. Just like that damned fool. I got to my feet and headed to my monitors, a good twenty minuted had passed, and what do i see headed to my office? An empty-handed blue Pegasus... it was time now...
I grabbed my baseball bat, and opened my door, hiding behind it. The Pegasus slowly entered. "H-hello... Jack? it's Soarin'... I came to say... i'm sorry! please don't do th-" He didn't get to finish, i gave him a good clonck and he fell with a thud. I took my mic in hand. "Yahtz, I want you to meet me in the alleyway.
I watched as Soarin' came back to consciousness, and gave me a pleading look. I gripped my baseball bat tighter, looking at him. "You knew the FUCKING consequences... and you STILL borrowed and lost a damn loan! You expect me to let that go, Soar'? HUH?" I saw tears forming in his eyes, i'd broken the bridge, it was time to kill the survivors... I taped up his mouth, and lifted out his right wing.
He mutely screamed as the bat was brought down hard on the wing, the sound of his wing bone snapping was marvelous. "Soar'... it's such a shame you had to take the loan and lose it... huh,,, such a fucking shame..." Down went the bat a second time, eliciting the sharp movement signifying intense pain. Pegasi were always the most fun. I laughed, and swung the bat into his side. Then removed the duct-tape from his mouth, relishing in his screams of pain and hopelessness. Blood dribbled from his mouth, he looked up at me, still practically reeling in pain.
"B-B.....Blackjack.... why..."
I hit him across the face with the bat. "You know why! You took the risk with the fucking loan Soarin', now you're gonna FUCKING PAY!" The bat slammed into his ribs, and he let out one last terrified screech before he began a coughing fit of blood. I removed my handgun from my jacket, and held it in front of him.
He shook his head slowly, and I nodded, smiling. "just the kneecaps, boy, don't worry. I cocked the pistol, BLAM BLAM!
Chapter Two: A Royal Visit
The day proceeding Soarin's little, accident , I opened the casino at 7:00 o'clock, and watch as something I didn't see every day strolled right on the sidewalk in front of me. I opened the door to greet the blue princess alicorn. "Wow, p-princess Luna!?!?" I rambled, but I was finally able to redeem myself. "I-I'm sorry, ptincess... it's just.. we don't get many princesses... cetainly not ones from canterlot!"
"Can a princess not gorge thyself every once and again?" She asked, with that early equestrian voice.
Th-that's not what I meant your highness, I apologize." I had to be humble, it was my duty as a businessman. That... and... well, I had no idea how to respond to a fucking princess, other than to practically kiss her ass, and if she asked, maybe literally.
"Please, this is no formality for mineself, thou can relax as of now, and if I have any fun may return with friends." She smiled and winked, which I was sure meant more princesses. She made her way to a slot machine with a medium sized baggie of bits. I made my way, gave a kiss to her hand, and made my way back to my office where I sat in my little chair watching the princess go at it with the slot machine one bit after another. At one point I noticed the princess with a disappointed look, and I left to check her. As I approached she was about to speak, but I cut her off.
"Princess, whatever has happened to the machine I can help." I was nervous at this point, she wanted me to act like this was nothing, but it was huge... all she did was grab my wrist and gently pull me and puionted to her jackpot on the machine, but no bits came out. (P.S. bits became a secondary form of cash after the paper dollar came out, but the bit is still worth the same.) "Oh... I do apologize my liege, allow my to compensate. I reached once again into my tux coat's pocket and removed a small roll of a much larger amount, about 6 G's should.. this cover it?
"yes, I do appreciate you trying to fix my ruined moment, I've had quite the time..." she had kind of a smirk on her face, I wasn't sure what this was insinuating, but I shrugged and moved on.
"Wait a minute..." it hit me faster than a train, she could've been cheating. I rushed into my office. "Bruce! replay the last twenty minutes on the surveillance! I sat at my chair and watch the camera that was hovering over Luna, and several more ponies that were sitting next to her. I stared closely at the black and white video played. "Bruce! Pause!" The vidoe stopped on Luna looking smartly at the machine with her.. HORN GLOWING! That con! "I am going to KILL HER!"
I busted though my office door and stopped in front of the princes, stopping all three slots she had spinning in the process. "Princess Luna... I reviewed the surveillance... you know what I saw, yes?" She gave my a confused look, and I removed the money from the purse she had. "One, THIS is rightfully mine... TWO, YOU used YOUR horn to cheat my casino.
"I hath done nothing of thine accusations!" Her look faltered to the ground for a split second, and that gave it away.
"Why the worried look, my dear? Hiding something that I saw on the FUCKING SURVEILLANCE!?!?" This had pushed my damn buttons, she thought that because she was royal she could get away with it... no... not in Blackjack's place...
About four minuted later, I had her cuffed behind my casino in the alleyway. "Luna Luna Luna... your stupid mistake... well, now, should you decide to come back, you'll have to warn all of your friends about the consequences of robbing me."
"I hath told thou over and over I hath not committed the deeds!" She, even now, had that look in her eyes that she knew she'd fucked up... big time.
"Oh.. and... Luna... magic won't work with me, those cuffs are enchanted... swell what a zebra can do if you offer just a bit of your soul!" I laughed, a little louder than intended, but she got it. "Now, whaddya say for some payback?" I removed my butterfly knife, and removed the blade, pressing it against her cheek, and pulling it slowly, the blood trickled down her face as she bit her lower lip to prevent the yell of pain. "What, too much, bitch? the pain too much to handle? Hah.. you're a disappointment." I brought the blade to her chest, and dragged at a little quicker, and blood flew from the blade, and she screamed, loud. "A shame your pretty dress will have to be ruined... must've been expensive, it would've been more than the money you stole... so, why bother?"
After several hours of torture with the blade, I'd been satisfied, I put my knife back in my jacket pocket, and smiled, her blood soaked her dress and nearly covered the ground. "Now... can we get you to a hospital before you bleed out on my casino alley?" I picked up the princess and slung her over my shoulder, she was breathing shallow, and I laughed again. "Princess.... just tell Celestia you made a mistake... she 'll get it... and trust me... i'm governmentally immune... I can't be stopped." All I got was a grunt in return, she under stood, and I carried the bleeding princess to the hospital where all would be fine.... as soon as the wounds healed.
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Chapter Three: Shyness, and Big Anger Issues
Chapter Three: Shyness, and Big Anger Issues
I once again stood at the door waiting for another big visit, no, not a princess, but an element of harmony... yes... Fluttershy. I smiled to everyone that entered, just waiting for that special pink and yellow Pegasus. Fluttershy was a regular visitor, and often asked me not to greet her. But I always had to greet the special ponies, I was a gentlecolt, and nothing would change it. I approached the Pegasus with caution, as not to impose a threat. No matter what anyone tells you, she is REALLY SENSITIVE. I took her and and gave at a slight kiss. "Welcome miss Fluttershy, I suspect this is your hundredth visit, yes?"
"Oh... no... it's not that much... is it? If it is, is that a bad thing?" She looked at me with those wide eyes, and I grinned warmingly.
"Of course it isn't, my dear, little Fluttershy... it is merely a representation of how much you've helped my humble establishment grow!" I patted her back and motioned for her to continue, she flapped her wings nervously and went on. I returned to my office to study the patrons that had arrived. Lyra, Dolphin Dream, Cheerilee, wait, what was this? Big Macintosh was giving one of my table owners a hard time... this had to end. I approached the table with haste, seeing the thug of an earth pony holding my table-man by the shirt.
"You traded out those cards! I saw you do it!" Shouted the big red stallion, I ran up and ripped his arm from my worker.
"You need to leave, NOW, Mr. Macintosh, I cannot have you ruining my establishment here." He turned to me with an angry look, but a much smaller orange hand grabbed his arm.
"C'mon Big Mac, this dump ain't wurth our time" I realized that this was... applejack? how'd she get in without me hearing of it?.
"Eeyup, but just one thing." Said the big red stallion. And that's when his fist went straight for me. I tried to grab the fist, but it was heavy, and slammed right into me, sending me back a good four feet, i quickly recollected as he went in again, trying for my face, so I enforced my strength with my magic, taking a swing. My fist connected with his jaw, and he fall with an extremely loud THUD . Magic ruled... but now I had his sister to bitch at.
"HOW DARE YOU hurt Big Macintosh like that! He didn't mean nothin' he was just-"
I cut her off. "Just trying to maul me! Get out!" I pointed to the doorway, and she left, as well as dragged her hillbilly brother with her. Now... back to the camera room. I opened the door, only to see my son sitting at the monitors. "Boy, what are you doing?!?" He looked at me, then got up and left. Just like that? No argument? No nothing? Eh... I sat back down and looked toward Fluttershy's quadrant of the building, and saw her cheeping at the jackpot as the bits spilled out... good for her... I lifted my intercom mic to my mouth. "Attention everyone, we have a Jackpot at slot four ninety seven!" This made Fluttershy stop, and I laughed after setting the mic down, Fluttershy buried her face in her hand, grabbed the bag of bits, and exited as quickly as those wings would let her.
Chapter four: Big Country Asswhoop
The following day, I opened the casino earl;y, somewhere around five thirty in the morning. I needed to make up for lost profit due to the whole fight with the apples. So I unlocked and activated my big flashy sign out front, and returned to what would hopefully be a quiet day in the office. But..... of course not, guess who walked right in the fucking door. The big red bastard, and he had a jaw brace. I laughed. But, I also had to see why he was here. I opened my office door and peeked his way. The rest of the casino was empty.
"Why are you here?" I asked. He looked behind him and his sister stepped out.
"we are gonna get the money to repair Big Macs jaw... whether we have to take it forcefully or not..." that was enough, that orange southern mare had pissed me off.
"And what the FUCK makes you think i'm gonna let that happen???" She smiled, and whistled, and inside walked about a good thirty mares and stallions... not not total.. thirty each . How was I gonna break my way out of this. Oh right... how the HELL did she get them all here?
"'case yer wonderin', it's the apple family reunion and for this year we decided to pay YOU a visit... don'tcha jus' feel special?" I watched the southern mare get a smug smile
"In case YOU are wondering... I have a weapon" I removed the handgun from my black siut pocket and placed it to the mares forehead. "You really think i'm that stupid? To go unarmed?" I pulled the hammer on the glock and looked around. "We'll see how effective an element of harmony is with a bullet in it's brain." The entire mob of apples fell silent, of course the big red one had to get a smirk, and knocked the pistol straight out of my hand. Smart, Blackjack, real fuckin' smart.
Defending myself became a challenge, as of the barrage of fists and feet I got one after another, I couldn't concentrate to cast a spell, my... wait... I drew the knife from my other pocket and looked foir the orange legs that stood confidently in the mob of attacking stallions and mares. I swung the knife at legs, once twice, three times... all i needed was a path to Applejack's legs... one good swipe, or stab, and this was all over, of course I was still getting stomped and swiped, making it extremely troublesome, and finally, there it was, the once in this moment opportunity, when she herself lifted her leg, I shoved the knife deep, deep into her ankle, the blade disappeared in fllesh, and the mare cried out.
The barrage stopped as the mare fell to her knees, and I clambered atop, sitting on her stomach, and readying my fist for a hit that would leave a good shiner for a month. As I began the bring the fist down, it was grabbed, I swung to see who it was, and there stood, Bruce, holding my wrist tight and disabling my perfect punch. He held firm and yanked me up, I felt a stinging in my lung, of course, it was punctured by my broken rib... just fantastic. He placed me ,and my bleeding mouth and nose on the ground, and stood over the mare himself. Taking a swing, the two, three, four, five, six, and walked back to me, slung me over his shoulder, and left the group to do their thing.
I'd never felt more proud of the stallion in my life, that is, before I blacked out.
Prologue: The Staff (short)
Alright, here's the runs here at the casino, who's who, ya' know. Alright, first, there's me, Blackjack, the runner, the owner and what not, but everyone calls be Jack because I hate my name. Second, there's my idiot boy Yahtzee (hey, if I gotta have a stupid name, so does he.) He's my pit-boss, you get it, the guy who drags out the card counters and the cheats. Third, and least as well as last, there's the muscle, Bruce, the fucking idiot couldn't screw in a light bulb without asking what it was and where it went. Anyways, there's the staff, have a great day.